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JMU Mason Penn State Erie-Behrend College Old Dominion Mary Washington College Virginia Tech VCU William & Mary Penn State Altoona Longwood University UVA Penn State| Penn State Harrisburg | Christopher Newport University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Penn State Harrisburg | CNU | ||
| Location | Middletown, PA | Newport News, VA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 4,572 | 4,559 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #613 | #390 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | cnu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Harrisburg | CNU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,388 | $9,375 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,854 | $22,613 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,978 | $11,990 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,096 | $23,287 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,882 | $8,022 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 63% | 66% |
Admission |
Penn State Harrisburg | CNU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 9,925 | 7,428 | ||
| Admitted | 9,483 | 6,340 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95.5% | 85.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.6% | 18.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.48 | 3.79 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 24/28 | 22/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1100/1310 | 1100/1290 | ||
| 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 Harrisburg | CNU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State Harrisburg | CNU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 63% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $47,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $258 |
Diversity |
Penn State Harrisburg | CNU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 60% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 40% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 59% | 74% | ||
| % Black | 11% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 5% | ||
| % International | 10% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 5% |
Students |
Penn State Harrisburg | CNU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 46% | 91% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 27% | 6% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Harrisburg | CNU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than CNU based on total student enrollment (4,572 students vs. 4,559 students)
Penn State Harrisburg vs. CNU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Harrisburg or CNU?
- Penn State Harrisburg is 64.1% more expensive to attend than CNU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $9,375.00)
- Out of state tuition is 14.3% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than Christopher Newport University ($25,854.00 vs. $22,613.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than CNU ($22,096 vs. $23,287)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Christopher Newport University are 24.9% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($11,990 vs. $14,978)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Christopher Newport University than Penn State Harrisburg (66% vs. 63%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Harrisburg students is 10.7% larger than aid received Christopher Newport University ($8,882 vs. $8,022)
Penn State Harrisburg vs. CNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Harrisburg or CNU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CNU or Penn State Harrisburg .
- The average SAT score at Christopher Newport University (1155) is 112 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
- Incoming CNU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
- Accepted freshman CNU students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
- Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than CNU (85.4%)
Penn State Harrisburg vs. CNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Harrisburg or CNU? 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 CNU and Penn State Harrisburg.
- The graduation rate at Penn State Harrisburg is the same as at Christopher Newport University (63% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $8,200 more per year than CNU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $47,100)
- Christopher Newport University students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
- CNU graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
- More CNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg 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/