Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. LGCNHS

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Greater Allegheny in McKeesport, PA with Saint Joseph's University Lancaster in Lancaster, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Saint Joseph's University Lancaster is larger than Penn State Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (1,439 students vs. 352 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Greater Allegheny is located in McKeesport, PA (Large Suburban setting); Saint Joseph's University Lancaster is in Lancaster, PA (Small City setting).
• Penn State Greater Allegheny is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Saint Joseph's University Lancaster is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Greater Allegheny 9:1; Saint Joseph's University Lancaster 11:1.

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. LGCNHS Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Greater Allegheny or LGCNHS? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Greater Allegheny than LGCNHS ($15,574 vs. $38,730).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Greater Allegheny are 10.9% lower than at Saint Joseph's University Lancaster ($14,474 vs. $16,240).
• Saint Joseph's University Lancaster is 128.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Greater Allegheny (about $18,525 more per year; $32,933.00 vs. $14,408.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 36.5% higher at LGCNHS than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (about $8,799 more per year; $32,933.00 vs. $24,134.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State Greater Allegheny than at Saint Joseph's University Lancaster (86% vs. 51%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Greater Allegheny students is 40.4% larger than aid received by Saint Joseph's University Lancaster students ($11,121 vs. $7,920).

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. LGCNHS Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Greater Allegheny or LGCNHS? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between LGCNHS and Penn State Greater Allegheny.

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Penn State Greater Allegheny (1180) is 40 points higher than at LGCNHS (1140).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Penn State Greater Allegheny 1080/1280; Saint Joseph's University Lancaster 1050/1220.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Greater Allegheny - Test optional; LGCNHS - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: LGCNHS Feb 1, 2027.
• Penn State Greater Allegheny has a higher acceptance rate (96.5%) than LGCNHS (41.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.5% at Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. 40.8% at LGCNHS.

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. LGCNHS Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Greater Allegheny and LGCNHS? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Penn State Greater Allegheny's six-year graduation rate is 47%. Comparable graduation rate data is not available for LGCNHS.
• Graduates from Penn State Greater Allegheny earn a median of about $4,000 more per year than LGCNHS graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $51,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Saint Joseph's University Lancaster graduates have a $8,318 lower median loan debt than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates ($18,500 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, LGCNHS graduates have an estimated $86 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates ($191 vs. $277).
• More LGCNHS graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Greater Allegheny students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.