Penn State Harrisburg vs. Ship

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Harrisburg in Middletown, PA with Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania in Shippensburg, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is larger than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (5,161 students vs. 4,478 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Harrisburg is located in Middletown, PA (Large Suburban setting); Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is in Shippensburg, PA (Distant Town setting).
• Penn State Harrisburg is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Harrisburg 15:1; Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania 18:1.

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Ship Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Harrisburg or Ship? 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 Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania than Penn State Harrisburg ($23,772 vs. $23,788).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania are 7.8% lower than at Penn State Harrisburg ($13,340 vs. $14,474).
• Penn State Harrisburg is 16.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Ship (about $2,252 more per year; $15,972.00 vs. $13,720.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 68.8% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (about $10,984 more per year; $26,958.00 vs. $15,974.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania than at Penn State Harrisburg (90% vs. 63%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Harrisburg students is 36.8% larger than aid received by Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania students ($9,245 vs. $6,756).

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Ship Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Harrisburg (1220) is 120 points higher than at Ship (1100).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Harrisburg 1120/1310; Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania 990/1210.
• 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; Ship - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman Penn State Harrisburg students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at Ship (3.23).
• Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (97.6%) than Ship (86.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 11.2% at Penn State Harrisburg vs. 17.5% at Ship.

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Ship Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Harrisburg and Ship? 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 Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania's (60%).
• Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn a median of about $8,100 more per year than Ship graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $47,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania graduates have a $1,818 lower median loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates ($25,000 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, Ship graduates have an estimated $19 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Harrisburg graduates ($258 vs. $277).
• More Ship graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (72% 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.