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JMU Mason Virginia Tech Mary Washington College Penn State Erie-Behrend College Old Dominion CNU William & Mary UVA Penn State Altoona WVU Penn State| Penn State Harrisburg | Virginia Commonwealth University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Penn State Harrisburg | VCU | ||
| Location | Middletown, PA | Richmond, VA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 4,572 | 28,082 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #613 | #442 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | vcu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Harrisburg | VCU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,388 | $12,458 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,854 | $33,726 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,978 | $12,279 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,096 | $21,294 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,882 | $12,583 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 63% | 83% |
Admission |
Penn State Harrisburg | VCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 9,925 | 18,242 | ||
| Admitted | 9,483 | 16,600 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95.5% | 91% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.6% | 25.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.48 | 3.75 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 24/28 | 22/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1100/1310 | 1030/1290 | ||
| 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 | Jan 18, 2025 |
Academics |
Penn State Harrisburg | VCU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State Harrisburg | VCU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 63% | 53% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $47,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 56% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $23,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $240 |
Diversity |
Penn State Harrisburg | VCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 60% | 36% | ||
| % Women | 40% | 64% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 59% | 50% | ||
| % Black | 11% | 18% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 6% | ||
| % International | 10% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
Penn State Harrisburg | VCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 46% | 92% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 27% | 6% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Harrisburg | VCU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 4,572 students)
Penn State Harrisburg vs. VCU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Harrisburg or VCU?
- Penn State Harrisburg is 23.5% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $12,458.00)
- Out of state tuition is 30.4% higher at VCU than Penn State Harrisburg ($33,726.00 vs. $25,854.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Commonwealth University than Penn State Harrisburg ($21,294 vs. $22,096)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 22% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($12,279 vs. $14,978)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than Penn State Harrisburg (83% vs. 63%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 41.7% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($12,583 vs. $8,882)
Penn State Harrisburg vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Harrisburg or VCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VCU or Penn State Harrisburg .
- The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 54 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
- Incoming VCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
- Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
- Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than VCU (91%)
Penn State Harrisburg vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Harrisburg or VCU? 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 VCU and Penn State Harrisburg.
- The graduation rate at Penn State Harrisburg is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (63% vs. 53%)
- Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $7,800 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $47,500)
- Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $3,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,818)
- VCU graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($240 vs. $277)
- More Penn State Harrisburg graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 56%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/