Penn State Harrisburg vs. Saint Francis University

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

Penn State Harrisburg Saint Francis University
Location Middletown, PA Loretto, PA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 4,651 2,835
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #595 #475
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu francis.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Harrisburg Saint Francis University
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $41,020
Tuition (Out of State) $26,112 $41,020
Room & Board $15,870 $13,880
Avg Net Price $22,406 $27,421
Avg Grant Aid $8,421 $30,216
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 100%

Admission

Penn State Harrisburg Saint Francis University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,296 2,259
Admitted 9,924 1,737
Acceptance Rate 96.4% 76.9%
Enrolled % 12.2% 21.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/30 21/26
SAT Range 1110/1320 1020/1250
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

Academics

Penn State Harrisburg Saint Francis University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Business (28%)
  • Health Professions (28%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Penn State Harrisburg Saint Francis University
Graduation Rate 63% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $54,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

Penn State Harrisburg Saint Francis University
% Men 5% 4%
% Women 6% 10%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 46%
% Black 11% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 1%
% International 10% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 41%

Students

Penn State Harrisburg Saint Francis University
% In-State 46% 72%
% Out-of-State 27% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than Saint Francis University based on total student enrollment (4,651 students vs. 2,835 students)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Saint Francis University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Harrisburg or Saint Francis University?

  • Saint Francis University is 166.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($41,020.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.1% higher at Saint Francis University than Penn State Harrisburg ($41,020.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Saint Francis University ($22,406 vs. $27,421)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Saint Francis University are 14.3% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($13,880 vs. $15,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Francis University than Penn State Harrisburg (100% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Francis University students is 258.8% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($30,216 vs. $8,421)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Saint Francis University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Saint Francis University (1060) is 17 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Saint Francis University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Saint Francis University students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than Saint Francis University (76.9%)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Saint Francis University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Harrisburg or Saint Francis University? 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 Saint Francis University and Penn State Harrisburg.

  • The graduation rate at Saint Francis University is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (64% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $1,300 more per year than Saint Francis University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $54,000)
  • Penn State Harrisburg students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Saint Francis University graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Harrisburg graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Saint Francis University graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Saint Francis University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)

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