Rutgers vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

 Rutgers Penn State Harrisburg
Location New Brunswick, NJ Middletown, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 50,617 4,651
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #113 #595
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rutgers.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Rutgers Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $13,674 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $32,436 $26,112
Room & Board $14,715 $15,870
Avg Net Price $19,052 $22,406
Avg Grant Aid $16,249 $8,421
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 54%

Admission

 Rutgers Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 43,347 10,296
Admitted 28,326 9,924
Acceptance Rate 65.3% 96.4%
Enrolled % 27.1% 12.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/33 26/30
SAT Range 1270/1480 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

 Rutgers Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

 Rutgers Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 77% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,215 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $229 $277

Diversity

 Rutgers Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 10% 5%
% Women 18% 6%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 59%
% Black 7% 11%
% Hispanic 13% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 7% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 Rutgers Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 84% 46%
% Out-of-State 8% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (50,617 students vs. 4,651 students)

Rutgers vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rutgers or Penn State Harrisburg?

  • Penn State Harrisburg is 12.5% more expensive to attend than Rutgers for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $13,674.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.2% higher at Rutgers than Penn State Harrisburg ($32,436.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rutgers University New Brunswick than Penn State Harrisburg ($19,052 vs. $22,406)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rutgers University New Brunswick are 7.8% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($14,715 vs. $15,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Harrisburg than Rutgers University New Brunswick (54% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students is 93% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($16,249 vs. $8,421)

Rutgers vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Rutgers 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 Rutgers .

  • The average SAT score at Rutgers University New Brunswick (1225) is 182 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Harrisburg students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than Rutgers (65.3%)

Rutgers vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rutgers 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 Rutgers.

  • The graduation rate at Rutgers is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (77% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick earn on average $10,900 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($66,200 vs. $55,300)
  • Rutgers University New Brunswick students graduate with a $4,603 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($22,215 vs. $26,818)
  • Rutgers graduates are paying $48 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($229 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Harrisburg graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 68%)

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