Rider University vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Rider University Penn State Harrisburg
Location Lawrenceville, NJ Middletown, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,083 4,651
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #309 #595
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rider.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Rider University Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $37,700 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $37,700 $26,112
Room & Board $16,730 $15,870
Avg Net Price $26,618 $22,406
Avg Grant Aid $27,411 $8,421
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 54%

Admission

Rider University Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,069 10,296
Admitted 7,201 9,924
Acceptance Rate 79.4% 96.4%
Enrolled % 11.2% 12.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/29 26/30
SAT Range 1100/1310 1110/1320
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

Academics

Rider University Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Education (15%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Rider University Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 63% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,750 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $266 $277

Diversity

Rider University Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 7% 5%
% Women 14% 6%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 59%
% Black 12% 11%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Rider University Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 73% 46%
% Out-of-State 25% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than Rider University based on total student enrollment (4,651 students vs. 4,083 students)

Rider University vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rider University or Penn State Harrisburg?

  • Rider University is 145% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($37,700.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.4% higher at Rider University than Penn State Harrisburg ($37,700.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Rider University ($22,406 vs. $26,618)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 5.4% lower than costs at Rider University ($15,870 vs. $16,730)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rider University than Penn State Harrisburg (100% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rider University students is 225.5% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($27,411 vs. $8,421)

Rider University vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Harrisburg (1043) is 29 points higher than at Rider University (1014)
  • Incoming Penn State Harrisburg students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Rider University (22)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Harrisburg students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at Rider University (3.41)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than Rider University (79.4%)

Rider University vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rider University or Penn State Harrisburg? 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 Penn State Harrisburg and Rider University.

  • The graduation rate at Rider University is the same as at Penn State Harrisburg (63% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $2,300 more per year than Rider University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $53,000)
  • Rider University students graduate with a $1,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($25,750 vs. $26,818)
  • Rider University graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($266 vs. $277)
  • More Rider University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg 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/