Penn State Harrisburg vs. Penn State Mont Alto

Comparable Facts

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

Penn State Harrisburg is larger than Penn State Mont Alto based on total student enrollment (4,478 students vs. 582 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Harrisburg is located in Middletown, PA (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Mont Alto is in Mont Alto, PA (Distant Town setting).
• Penn State Harrisburg is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Mont Alto is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Harrisburg 15:1; Penn State Mont Alto 10:1.

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Penn State Mont Alto Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Harrisburg or Penn State Mont Alto? 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 Mont Alto than Penn State Harrisburg ($19,675 vs. $23,788).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State Mont Alto ($14,474).
• Penn State Harrisburg is 10.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Mont Alto (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 Mont Alto (about $2,824 more per year; $26,958.00 vs. $24,134.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State Mont Alto than at Penn State Harrisburg (84% vs. 63%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Mont Alto students is 9.3% larger than aid received by Penn State Harrisburg students ($10,106 vs. $9,245).

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Penn State Mont Alto Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Harrisburg or Penn State Mont Alto? 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 Mont Alto and Penn State Harrisburg.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Harrisburg (1220) is 80 points higher than at Penn State Mont Alto (1140).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Harrisburg 1120/1310; Penn State Mont Alto 980/1300.
• 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 Mont Alto - Test optional.
• Penn State Mont Alto has a higher acceptance rate (98.2%) than Penn State Harrisburg (97.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 11.2% at Penn State Harrisburg vs. 24.4% at Penn State Mont Alto.

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Penn State Mont Alto Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State Mont Alto? 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 Mont Alto's (52%).
• Graduates of Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State Mont Alto 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 Mont Alto and Penn State Harrisburg graduates have the same median loan debt ($26,818 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Penn State Mont Alto 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 Mont Alto 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.