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JMU VCU Virginia Tech CNU Old Dominion UVA UMBC Penn State Altoona UNC Charlotte UB William & Mary Mary Washington College| Penn State Berks | George Mason University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Penn State Berks | Mason | ||
| Location | Reading, PA | Fairfax, VA | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 1,944 | 39,527 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #647 | #239 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | gmu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Berks | Mason | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,388 | $10,095 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,112 | $35,677 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,232 | $15,151 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,450 | $18,900 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,327 | $11,311 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 64% | 72% |
Admission |
Penn State Berks | Mason | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,844 | 22,579 | ||
| Admitted | 5,676 | 20,057 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 97.1% | 88.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 10.4% | 22.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.39 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 26/29 | 25/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1310 | 1140/1340 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Feb 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Penn State Berks | Mason | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State Berks | Mason | ||
| Graduation Rate | 55% | 64% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $61,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 73% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $19,750 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $204 |
Diversity |
Penn State Berks | Mason | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 13% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 17% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 68% | 43% | ||
| % Black | 9% | 11% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 5% | ||
| % International | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 5% |
Students |
Penn State Berks | Mason | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 64% | 77% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 30% | 16% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Berks | Mason | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- George Mason University is larger than than Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (39,527 students vs. 1,944 students)
Penn State Berks vs. Mason Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Berks or Mason?
- Penn State Berks is 52.4% more expensive to attend than Mason for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $10,095.00)
- Out of state tuition is 36.6% higher at Mason than Penn State Berks ($35,677.00 vs. $26,112.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at George Mason University than Penn State Berks ($18,900 vs. $22,450)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Berks are 6.5% lower than costs at George Mason University ($14,232 vs. $15,151)
- More students receive financial grant aid at George Mason University than Penn State Berks (72% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by George Mason University students is 21.3% larger than aid received Penn State Berks ($11,311 vs. $9,327)
Penn State Berks vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Berks or Mason? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Mason or Penn State Berks .
- The average SAT score at George Mason University (1153) is 175 points higher than at Penn State Berks (978)
- Incoming Mason students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Penn State Berks (22)
- Accepted freshman Mason students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Penn State Berks (3.39)
- Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (97.1%) than Mason (88.8%)
Penn State Berks vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Berks or Mason? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Mason and Penn State Berks.
- The graduation rate at Mason is higher than Penn State Berks (64% vs. 55%)
- Graduates from George Mason University earn on average $6,600 more per year than Penn State Berks graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $55,300)
- George Mason University students graduate with a $7,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Berks graduates. ($19,750 vs. $26,818)
- Mason graduates are paying $73 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Berks graduates. ($204 vs. $277)
- More Mason graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Berks students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/