Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. W&J

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Greater Allegheny in McKeesport, PA with Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Washington & Jefferson College is larger than Penn State Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (1,309 students vs. 352 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Greater Allegheny is located in McKeesport, PA (Large Suburban setting); Washington & Jefferson College is in Washington, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• Penn State Greater Allegheny is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Washington & Jefferson College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Greater Allegheny 9:1; Washington & Jefferson College 11:1.

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. W&J Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Greater Allegheny or W&J? 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 W&J ($15,574 vs. $22,702).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Greater Allegheny are 1.6% lower than at Washington & Jefferson College ($14,474 vs. $14,710).
• Washington & Jefferson College is 104% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Greater Allegheny (about $14,984 more per year; $29,392.00 vs. $14,408.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 21.8% higher at W&J than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (about $5,258 more per year; $29,392.00 vs. $24,134.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Washington & Jefferson College than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (100% vs. 86%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Washington & Jefferson College students is 81.2% larger than aid received by Penn State Greater Allegheny students ($20,152 vs. $11,121).

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. W&J Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Greater Allegheny or W&J? 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 W&J and Penn State Greater Allegheny.

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Penn State Greater Allegheny (1180) is 50 points higher than at W&J (1130).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Penn State Greater Allegheny 1080/1280; Washington & Jefferson College 1010/1250.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresWashington & Jefferson College 19/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Greater Allegheny - Test optional; W&J - Test-free.
• Penn State Greater Allegheny has a higher acceptance rate (96.5%) than W&J (80.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.5% at Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. 12.6% at W&J.

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. W&J Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Greater Allegheny and W&J? 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.

• Washington & Jefferson College's six-year graduation rate (74%) is higher than Penn State Greater Allegheny's (47%).
• Graduates from Washington & Jefferson College earn a median of about $1,600 more per year than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates about ten years after starting college ($56,900 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than W&J graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than W&J graduates ($277 vs. $279).
• More W&J graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Greater Allegheny students, three years after graduation. (79% 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.