Penn State Harrisburg vs. Penn State Brandywine

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Harrisburg in Middletown, PA with Penn State Brandywine in Media, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Harrisburg is larger than Penn State Brandywine based on total student enrollment (4,478 students vs. 1,236 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Harrisburg is located in Middletown, PA (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Brandywine is in Media, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• Penn State Harrisburg is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Brandywine is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Harrisburg 15:1; Penn State Brandywine 15:1.

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Penn State Brandywine Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Harrisburg or Penn State Brandywine? 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 Brandywine than Penn State Harrisburg ($22,710 vs. $23,788).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State Brandywine ($14,474).
• Penn State Harrisburg is 5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Brandywine (about $764 more per year; $15,972.00 vs. $15,208.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 6.2% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than at Penn State Brandywine (about $1,566 more per year; $26,958.00 vs. $25,392.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State Brandywine than at Penn State Harrisburg (73% vs. 63%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Harrisburg students is 1.4% larger than aid received by Penn State Brandywine students ($9,245 vs. $9,113).

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Penn State Brandywine Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Harrisburg or Penn State Brandywine? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State Brandywine and Penn State Harrisburg.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Harrisburg (1220) is 20 points higher than at Penn State Brandywine (1200).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Harrisburg 1120/1310; Penn State Brandywine 1080/1310.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Harrisburg 22/31.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Harrisburg - Test optional; Penn State Brandywine - Test optional.
• Penn State Brandywine has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than Penn State Harrisburg (97.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 11.2% at Penn State Harrisburg vs. 16.8% at Penn State Brandywine.

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Penn State Brandywine Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State Brandywine? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Penn State Harrisburg's six-year graduation rate (63%) is higher than Penn State Brandywine's (37%).
• Graduates of Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State Brandywine have equivalent median earnings about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $55,300), per the federal College Scorecard cohort (typically among students working and not enrolled).
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Brandywine and Penn State Harrisburg graduates have the same median loan debt ($26,818 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Penn State Brandywine and Penn State Harrisburg graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($277 vs. $277).
• Federal student loan repayment rates three years after graduation are the same for Penn State Brandywine and Penn State Harrisburg graduates (69% 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.