Penn State Harrisburg vs. Temple

Comparable Facts

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

Temple University is larger than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (29,640 students vs. 4,478 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Harrisburg is located in Middletown, PA (Large Suburban setting); Temple University is in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting).
• Penn State Harrisburg is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Temple University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Harrisburg 15:1; Temple University 12:1.

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Temple Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Harrisburg or Temple? 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 Harrisburg than Temple ($23,788 vs. $28,088).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 18.2% lower than at Temple University ($14,474 vs. $17,690).
• Temple University is 44.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Harrisburg (about $7,039 more per year; $23,011.00 vs. $15,972.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 44.5% higher at Temple than at Penn State Harrisburg (about $12,000 more per year; $38,958.00 vs. $26,958.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Temple University than at Penn State Harrisburg (89% vs. 63%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Temple University students is 60.5% larger than aid received by Penn State Harrisburg students ($14,837 vs. $9,245).

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Temple Admissions comparison

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

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Harrisburg 1120/1310.
• 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; Temple - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Temple Feb 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Penn State Harrisburg students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at Temple (3.46).
• Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (97.6%) than Temple (80.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 11.2% at Penn State Harrisburg vs. 15.2% at Temple.

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Temple Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Harrisburg and Temple? 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).

• Temple University's six-year graduation rate (68%) is higher than Penn State Harrisburg's (63%).
• Graduates from Temple University earn a median of about $1,000 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates about ten years after starting college ($56,300 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Temple University graduates have a $818 lower median loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates ($26,000 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, Temple graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Harrisburg graduates ($268 vs. $277).
• More Temple graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (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.