Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. BC

Should I go to Penn State Erie Behrend College or Bridgewater College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Erie-Behrend College or BC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Penn State Harrisburg University of Lynchburg Penn State Altoona Penn State Penn State Berks Gannon University UB Longwood University EMU Penn State Abington PennWest Edinboro Pitt
Penn State Erie Behrend College vs. Bridgewater College comparison
Penn State Erie Behrend College Bridgewater College College 3 College 4
Penn State Erie Behrend College Bridgewater College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College BC
Location Erie, PA Bridgewater, VA
Setting Rural Fringe Small Suburban
Enrollment 3,323 1,436
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #538 #603
Religious Affiliation - Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu bridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College BC
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $40,300
Tuition (Out of State) $26,112 $40,300
Room & Board $14,774 $14,370
Avg Net Price $20,964 $19,660
Avg Grant Aid $10,930 $36,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 100%

Admission

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,827 3,984
Admitted 4,620 3,618
Acceptance Rate 95.7% 90.8%
Enrolled % 18.7% 11.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.49 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/28 28/29
SAT Range 1110/1320 1070/1375
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College BC
Graduation Rate 66% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $43,100
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College BC
% Men 2% 1%
% Women 1% 2%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 73%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 2% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 9% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College BC
% In-State 74% 69%
% Out-of-State 19% 25%

Campus

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College BC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Erie Behrend College is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (3,323 students vs. 1,436 students)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Erie-Behrend College or BC?

  • Bridgewater College is 161.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State Erie-Behrend College for in-state tuition ($40,300.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 54.3% higher at BC than Penn State Erie Behrend College ($40,300.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater College than Penn State Erie-Behrend College ($19,660 vs. $20,964)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bridgewater College are 2.8% lower than costs at Penn State Erie Behrend College ($14,370 vs. $14,774)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater College than Penn State Erie Behrend College (100% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 232.6% larger than aid received Penn State Erie Behrend College ($36,350 vs. $10,930)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Erie-Behrend College or BC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between BC or Penn State Erie-Behrend College .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Erie Behrend College (1054) is 20 points higher than at BC (1034)
  • Incoming BC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (23)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (3.49)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than BC (90.8%)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Erie-Behrend College or BC? 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 BC and Penn State Erie-Behrend College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Erie-Behrend College is higher than Bridgewater College (66% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Erie Behrend College earn on average $12,200 more per year than BC graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $43,100)
  • Penn State Erie Behrend College students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Erie-Behrend College students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/