Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. Saint Joseph's University

Comparable Facts

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

Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia is larger than Penn State Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (7,159 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 Philadelphia is in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting).
• Penn State Greater Allegheny is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Greater Allegheny 9:1; Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia 11:1.

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. Saint Joseph's University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Greater Allegheny or Saint Joseph's University? 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 Saint Joseph's University ($15,574 vs. $31,205).
• 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 Philadelphia ($14,474 vs. $16,240).
• Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia is 269.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Greater Allegheny (about $38,852 more per year; $53,260.00 vs. $14,408.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 120.7% higher at Saint Joseph's University than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (about $29,126 more per year; $53,260.00 vs. $24,134.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (100% vs. 86%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia students is 232.4% larger than aid received by Penn State Greater Allegheny students ($36,964 vs. $11,121).

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. Saint Joseph's University Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Greater Allegheny or Saint Joseph's University? 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 Saint Joseph's University and Penn State Greater Allegheny.

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia (1260) is 80 points higher than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (1180).
• 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 Philadelphia 1170/1350.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresSaint Joseph's University Philadelphia 28/31.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Greater Allegheny - Test optional; Saint Joseph's University - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Saint Joseph's University Feb 1, 2027.
• Penn State Greater Allegheny has a higher acceptance rate (96.5%) than Saint Joseph's University (88.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.5% at Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. 14.1% at Saint Joseph's University.

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. Saint Joseph's University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Greater Allegheny and Saint Joseph's University? 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.

• Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia's six-year graduation rate (76%) is higher than Penn State Greater Allegheny's (47%).
• Graduates from Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia earn a median of about $8,700 more per year than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates about ten years after starting college ($64,000 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Saint Joseph's University Philadelphia graduates have a $3,810 lower median loan debt than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates ($23,008 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, Saint Joseph's University graduates have an estimated $40 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates ($237 vs. $277).
• More Saint Joseph's University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Greater Allegheny students, three years after graduation. (78% 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.