Penn State Harrisburg vs. Mason

Should I go to Penn State Harrisburg or George Mason University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Harrisburg or Mason 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.
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Penn State Harrisburg vs. George Mason University comparison
Penn State Harrisburg George Mason University College 3 College 4
Penn State Harrisburg George Mason University
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Overview

 Penn State Harrisburg Mason
Location Middletown, PA Fairfax, VA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,651 39,527
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #595 #239
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu gmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Harrisburg Mason
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $10,095
Tuition (Out of State) $26,112 $35,677
Room & Board $15,870 $15,151
Avg Net Price $22,406 $18,900
Avg Grant Aid $8,421 $11,311
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 72%

Admission

 Penn State Harrisburg Mason
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,296 22,579
Admitted 9,924 20,057
Acceptance Rate 96.4% 88.8%
Enrolled % 12.2% 22.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/30 25/30
SAT Range 1110/1320 1140/1340
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, 2026

Academics

 Penn State Harrisburg Mason
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 (16%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Harrisburg Mason
Graduation Rate 63% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $277 $204

Diversity

 Penn State Harrisburg Mason
% Men 5% 13%
% Women 6% 17%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 43%
% Black 11% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 10% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 Penn State Harrisburg Mason
% In-State 46% 77%
% Out-of-State 27% 16%

Campus

 Penn State Harrisburg Mason
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • George Mason University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (39,527 students vs. 4,651 students)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Mason Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Harrisburg is 52.4% more expensive to attend than Mason for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $10,095.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 36.6% higher at Mason than Penn State Harrisburg ($35,677.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at George Mason University than Penn State Harrisburg ($18,900 vs. $22,406)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at George Mason University are 4.7% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($15,151 vs. $15,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at George Mason University than Penn State Harrisburg (72% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by George Mason University students is 34.3% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($11,311 vs. $8,421)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at George Mason University (1153) is 110 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Mason students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Mason students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than Mason (88.8%)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Mason is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (64% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from George Mason University earn on average $6,600 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $55,300)
  • George Mason University students graduate with a $7,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($19,750 vs. $26,818)
  • Mason graduates are paying $73 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($204 vs. $277)
  • More Mason graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)

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