Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. HSC- Hampden-Sydney

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Lehigh Valley in Center Valley, PA with Hampden Sydney College in Hampden-Sydney, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Hampden Sydney College is larger than Penn State Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (946 students vs. 867 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Lehigh Valley is located in Center Valley, PA (Large Suburban setting); Hampden Sydney College is in Hampden-Sydney, VA (Distant Rural setting).
• Penn State Lehigh Valley is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Hampden Sydney College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Lehigh Valley 14:1; Hampden Sydney College 9:1.

Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. HSC- Hampden-Sydney Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Lehigh Valley or HSC- Hampden-Sydney? 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 Lehigh Valley than HSC- Hampden-Sydney ($19,066 vs. $29,717).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Lehigh Valley are 8.7% lower than at Hampden Sydney College ($15,274 vs. $16,732).
• Hampden Sydney College is 258.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Lehigh Valley (about $39,342 more per year; $54,550.00 vs. $15,208.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 114.8% higher at HSC- Hampden-Sydney than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (about $29,158 more per year; $54,550.00 vs. $25,392.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Hampden Sydney College than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (100% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Hampden Sydney College students is 349.2% larger than aid received by Penn State Lehigh Valley students ($40,720 vs. $9,065).

Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. HSC- Hampden-Sydney Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Lehigh Valley or HSC- Hampden-Sydney? 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 HSC- Hampden-Sydney and Penn State Lehigh Valley.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1230) is 90 points higher than at HSC- Hampden-Sydney (1140).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Lehigh Valley 1130/1320; Hampden Sydney College 1030/1250.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsHampden Sydney College 23/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Lehigh Valley - Test optional; HSC- Hampden-Sydney - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: HSC- Hampden-Sydney Feb 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman HSC- Hampden-Sydney students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (3.42).
• Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than HSC- Hampden-Sydney (40.9%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14% at Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. 22.8% at HSC- Hampden-Sydney.

Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. HSC- Hampden-Sydney Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Lehigh Valley and HSC- Hampden-Sydney? 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).

• Hampden Sydney College's six-year graduation rate (67%) is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley's (47%).
• Graduates from Penn State Lehigh Valley earn a median of about $1,300 more per year than HSC- Hampden-Sydney graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $54,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than HSC- Hampden-Sydney graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than HSC- Hampden-Sydney graduates ($277 vs. $279).
• More HSC- Hampden-Sydney graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Lehigh Valley students, three years after graduation. (75% 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.