Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. Ship

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Lehigh Valley in Center Valley, 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 Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (5,161 students vs. 867 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Lehigh Valley is located in Center Valley, PA (Large Suburban setting); Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is in Shippensburg, PA (Distant Town setting).
• Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Lehigh Valley 14:1; Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania 18:1.

Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. Ship Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Penn State Lehigh Valley than Ship ($19,066 vs. $23,772).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania are 12.7% lower than at Penn State Lehigh Valley ($13,340 vs. $15,274).
• Penn State Lehigh Valley is 10.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Ship (about $1,488 more per year; $15,208.00 vs. $13,720.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 59% higher at Penn State Lehigh Valley than at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (about $9,418 more per year; $25,392.00 vs. $15,974.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (90% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Lehigh Valley students is 34.2% larger than aid received by Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania students ($9,065 vs. $6,756).

Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. Ship Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Lehigh Valley.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1230) is 130 points higher than at Ship (1100).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Lehigh Valley 1130/1320; Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania 990/1210.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Lehigh Valley - Test optional; Ship - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman Penn State Lehigh Valley students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Ship (3.23).
• Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than Ship (86.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14% at Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. 17.5% at Ship.

Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. Ship Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Lehigh Valley 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).

• Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania's six-year graduation rate (60%) is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley's (47%).
• Graduates from Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Lehigh Valley graduates ($25,000 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, Ship graduates have an estimated $19 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates ($258 vs. $277).
• More Ship graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Lehigh Valley 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.