Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. Sweet Briar College

Comparable Facts

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

Penn State Lehigh Valley is larger than Sweet Briar College based on total student enrollment (867 students vs. 444 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. Sweet Briar College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Lehigh Valley or Sweet Briar College? 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 Sweet Briar College ($19,066 vs. $21,322).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sweet Briar College are 0.3% lower than at Penn State Lehigh Valley ($15,230 vs. $15,274).
• Sweet Briar College is 72% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Lehigh Valley (about $10,952 more per year; $26,160.00 vs. $15,208.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 3% higher at Sweet Briar College than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (about $768 more per year; $26,160.00 vs. $25,392.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sweet Briar College than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (99% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sweet Briar College students is 147% larger than aid received by Penn State Lehigh Valley students ($22,387 vs. $9,065).

Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. Sweet Briar College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Lehigh Valley or Sweet Briar College? 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 Sweet Briar College and Penn State Lehigh Valley.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1230) is 20 points higher than at Sweet Briar College (1210).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Lehigh Valley 1130/1320; Sweet Briar College 1100/1310.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Lehigh Valley - Test optional; Sweet Briar College - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman Sweet Briar College students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (3.42).
• Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than Sweet Briar College (75.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14% at Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. 13.2% at Sweet Briar College.

Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. Sweet Briar College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Lehigh Valley and Sweet Briar College? 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).

• Sweet Briar College's six-year graduation rate (70%) is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley's (47%).
• Graduates from Penn State Lehigh Valley earn a median of about $13,600 more per year than Sweet Briar College graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $41,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than Sweet Briar College 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 Sweet Briar College graduates ($277 vs. $279).
• More Sweet Briar College 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.