Penn State Harrisburg vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny

Comparable Facts

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

Penn State Harrisburg is larger than Penn State Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (4,478 students vs. 352 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Harrisburg is located in Middletown, PA (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Greater Allegheny is in McKeesport, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• Penn State Harrisburg is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Greater Allegheny is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Harrisburg 15:1; Penn State Greater Allegheny 9:1.

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Harrisburg or Penn State Greater Allegheny? 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 Penn State Harrisburg ($15,574 vs. $23,788).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State Greater Allegheny ($14,474).
• Penn State Harrisburg is 10.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Greater Allegheny (about $1,564 more per year; $15,972.00 vs. $14,408.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 11.7% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (about $2,824 more per year; $26,958.00 vs. $24,134.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State Greater Allegheny than at Penn State Harrisburg (86% vs. 63%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Greater Allegheny students is 20.3% larger than aid received by Penn State Harrisburg students ($11,121 vs. $9,245).

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Penn State Harrisburg (1220) is 40 points higher than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (1180).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Penn State Harrisburg 1120/1310; Penn State Greater Allegheny 1080/1280.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Penn State Harrisburg 22/31.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Harrisburg - Test optional; Penn State Greater Allegheny - Test optional.
• Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (97.6%) than Penn State Greater Allegheny (96.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 11.2% at Penn State Harrisburg vs. 19.5% at Penn State Greater Allegheny.

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State Greater Allegheny? 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.

• Penn State Harrisburg's six-year graduation rate (63%) is higher than Penn State Greater Allegheny's (47%).
• Graduates of Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State Greater Allegheny 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 Greater Allegheny and Penn State Harrisburg graduates have the same median loan debt ($26,818 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Penn State Greater Allegheny 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 Greater Allegheny 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.