Penn State York vs. Mason

Should I go to Penn State York or George Mason University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State York or Mason is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Penn State York vs. George Mason University comparison
Penn State York George Mason University College 3 College 4
George Mason University
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Overview

 Penn State York Mason
Location York, PA Fairfax, VA
Setting Midsize Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 718 39,049
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #228
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu gmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State York Mason
Tuition (In State) $14,624 $9,795
Tuition (Out of State) $24,318 $35,377
Room & Board $12,984 $13,120
Avg Net Price $18,910 $18,479
Avg Grant Aid $8,440 $10,760
% Receiving Grant Aid 84% 74%

Admission

 Penn State York Mason
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,005 20,001
Admitted 1,862 18,001
Acceptance Rate 92.9% 90%
Enrolled % 10.3% 23%
Avg High School GPA - 3.68
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/26 25/31
SAT Range 1090/1300 1140/1350
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 Penn State York Mason
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Work and Family Studies (24%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 Penn State York Mason
Graduation Rate 45% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $277 $204

Diversity

 Penn State York Mason
% Men 64% 48%
% Women 36% 52%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 43%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 15% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 Penn State York Mason
% In-State 81% 77%
% Out-of-State 17% 17%

Campus

 Penn State York Mason
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • George Mason University is larger than than Penn State York based on total student enrollment (39,049 students vs. 718 students)

Penn State York vs. Mason Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State York or Mason?

  • Penn State York is 49.3% more expensive to attend than Mason for in-state tuition ($14,624.00 vs. $9,795.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.5% higher at Mason than Penn State York ($35,377.00 vs. $24,318.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at George Mason University than Penn State York ($18,479 vs. $18,910)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State York are 1% lower than costs at George Mason University ($12,984 vs. $13,120)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State York than George Mason University (84% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by George Mason University students is 27.5% larger than aid received Penn State York ($10,760 vs. $8,440)

Penn State York vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State York or Mason? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Mason or Penn State York .

  • The average SAT score at George Mason University (1153) is 103 points higher than at Penn State York (1050)
  • Incoming Mason students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Penn State York (24)
  • Penn State York has a higher acceptance rate (92.9%) than Mason (90%)

Penn State York vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State York or Mason? 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 Mason and Penn State York.

  • The graduation rate at Mason is higher than Penn State York (64% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from George Mason University earn on average $6,600 more per year than Penn State York graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $55,300)
  • George Mason University students graduate with a $7,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State York graduates. ($19,750 vs. $26,818)
  • Mason graduates are paying $73 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State York graduates. ($204 vs. $277)
  • More Mason graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State York students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/