Penn State Harrisburg vs. CofC

Should I go to Penn State Harrisburg or College of Charleston? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Harrisburg or CofC 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. 

UofSC Clemson Coastal Carolina Penn State Erie-Behrend College CSU Elon Penn State Altoona USC Beaufort JMU Furman Winthrop University Penn State
Penn State Harrisburg vs. College of Charleston comparison
Penn State Harrisburg College of Charleston College 3 College 4
Penn State Harrisburg College of Charleston
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Penn State Harrisburg CofC
Location Middletown, PA Charleston, SC
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 4,651 11,729
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #595 #435
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu cofc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Harrisburg CofC
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $12,518
Tuition (Out of State) $26,112 $36,398
Room & Board $15,870 $14,032
Avg Net Price $22,406 $20,806
Avg Grant Aid $8,421 $9,811
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 81%

Admission

 Penn State Harrisburg CofC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,296 26,683
Admitted 9,924 19,212
Acceptance Rate 96.4% 72%
Enrolled % 12.2% 13.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.94
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/30 24/29
SAT Range 1110/1320 1130/1300
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Penn State Harrisburg CofC
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Harrisburg CofC
Graduation Rate 63% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $46,200
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $277 $222

Diversity

 Penn State Harrisburg CofC
% Men 5% 2%
% Women 6% 7%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 80%
% Black 11% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 10% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 Penn State Harrisburg CofC
% In-State 46% 38%
% Out-of-State 27% 61%

Campus

 Penn State Harrisburg CofC
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

  • College of Charleston is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (11,729 students vs. 4,651 students)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. CofC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Harrisburg or CofC?

  • Penn State Harrisburg is 22.9% more expensive to attend than CofC for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $12,518.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.4% higher at CofC than Penn State Harrisburg ($36,398.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of Charleston than Penn State Harrisburg ($20,806 vs. $22,406)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Charleston are 13.1% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($14,032 vs. $15,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Charleston than Penn State Harrisburg (81% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Charleston students is 16.5% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($9,811 vs. $8,421)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. CofC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of Charleston (1141) is 98 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming CofC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman CofC students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than CofC (72%)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. CofC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Harrisburg or CofC? 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 CofC and Penn State Harrisburg.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Harrisburg is the same as at College of Charleston (63% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $9,100 more per year than CofC graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $46,200)
  • College of Charleston students graduate with a $5,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,818)
  • CofC graduates are paying $55 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($222 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Harrisburg graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CofC students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 60%)

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