Penn State York vs. SU

Should I go to Penn State York or Shenandoah University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State York or SU 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. Shenandoah University comparison
Penn State York Shenandoah University College 3 College 4
Shenandoah University
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Overview

 Penn State York SU
Location York, PA Winchester, VA
Setting Midsize Suburban Small City
Enrollment 718 4,260
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #537
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State York SU
Tuition (In State) $14,624 $33,790
Tuition (Out of State) $24,318 $33,790
Room & Board $12,984 $11,230
Avg Net Price $18,910 $26,143
Avg Grant Aid $8,440 $23,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 84% 100%

Admission

 Penn State York SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,005 2,296
Admitted 1,862 1,845
Acceptance Rate 92.9% 80.4%
Enrolled % 10.3% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA - 3.7
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/26 19/26
SAT Range 1090/1300 1010/1230
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Penn State York SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Work and Family Studies (24%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 Penn State York SU
Graduation Rate 45% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $258

Diversity

 Penn State York SU
% Men 64% 32%
% Women 36% 68%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 59%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 15% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 13%

Students

 Penn State York SU
% In-State 81% 52%
% Out-of-State 17% 48%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Shenandoah University is larger than than Penn State York based on total student enrollment (4,260 students vs. 718 students)

Penn State York vs. SU Cost Comparison

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

  • Shenandoah University is 131.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State York for in-state tuition ($33,790.00 vs. $14,624.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39% higher at SU than Penn State York ($33,790.00 vs. $24,318.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State York than SU ($18,910 vs. $26,143)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 15.6% lower than costs at Penn State York ($11,230 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shenandoah University than Penn State York (100% vs. 84%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 178% larger than aid received Penn State York ($23,467 vs. $8,440)

Penn State York vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State York (1050) is 45 points higher than at SU (1005)
  • Incoming Penn State York students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at SU (22)
  • Penn State York has a higher acceptance rate (92.9%) than SU (80.4%)

Penn State York vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn State York is the same as at Shenandoah University (45% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Penn State York earn on average $7,000 more per year than SU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $48,300)
  • Shenandoah University students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State York graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
  • SU graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State York graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State York graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 60%)

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