Rutgers vs. Penn State Harrisburg

Deciding between Rutgers University New Brunswick and Penn State Harrisburg? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Rutgers University New Brunswick
Penn State Harrisburg

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Rutgers New Brunswick, NJ
  • Penn State Harrisburg Middletown, PA
  • Setting
  • Rutgers Small City
  • Penn State Harrisburg Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Rutgers 52,269
  • Penn State Harrisburg 4,478
  • Type
  • Rutgers Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Harrisburg Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Rutgers #114
  • Penn State Harrisburg #574
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Rutgers -
  • Penn State Harrisburg -
  • Status
  • Rutgers Non-profit
  • Penn State Harrisburg Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Rutgers
  • Penn State Harrisburg

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Rutgers $17,929
  • Penn State Harrisburg $15,972
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Rutgers $37,441
  • Penn State Harrisburg $26,958
  • Room & Board
  • Rutgers $15,714
  • Penn State Harrisburg $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Rutgers $20,522
  • Penn State Harrisburg $23,788
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Rutgers $16,742
  • Penn State Harrisburg $9,245
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Rutgers 50%
  • Penn State Harrisburg 63%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Rutgers 68,614
  • Penn State Harrisburg 9,316
  • Admitted
  • Rutgers 39,899
  • Penn State Harrisburg 9,092
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Rutgers 58.1%
  • Penn State Harrisburg 97.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Rutgers 20.5%
  • Penn State Harrisburg 11.2%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Rutgers 1410
  • Penn State Harrisburg 1220
  • Typical ACT score
  • Rutgers 30
  • Penn State Harrisburg 26
  • Average High School GPA
  • Rutgers 3.3
  • Penn State Harrisburg 3.48
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Rutgers B+
  • Penn State Harrisburg B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Rutgers Exceptional
  • Penn State Harrisburg Difficult
  • Applicant Competition
  • Rutgers Low
  • Penn State Harrisburg
  • ACT Range
  • Rutgers 28/33
  • Penn State Harrisburg 22/31
  • SAT Range
  • Rutgers 1310/1500
  • Penn State Harrisburg 1120/1310
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Rutgers Test optional
  • Penn State Harrisburg Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Rutgers
  • Penn State Harrisburg

  • Academics

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

  • Outcomes

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

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Rutgers 46%
  • Penn State Harrisburg 58%
  • % Women
  • Rutgers 54%
  • Penn State Harrisburg 42%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Rutgers Very High
  • Penn State Harrisburg High
  • HBCU
  • Rutgers No
  • Penn State Harrisburg No
  • % White
  • Rutgers 42%
  • Penn State Harrisburg 59%
  • % Asian
  • Rutgers 26%
  • Penn State Harrisburg 9%
  • % Black
  • Rutgers 7%
  • Penn State Harrisburg 11%
  • % Hispanic
  • Rutgers 13%
  • Penn State Harrisburg 6%
  • % Native American
  • Rutgers 0%
  • Penn State Harrisburg 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Rutgers 0%
  • Penn State Harrisburg 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Rutgers 3%
  • Penn State Harrisburg 3%
  • % International
  • Rutgers 7%
  • Penn State Harrisburg 10%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Rutgers 2%
  • Penn State Harrisburg 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Rutgers 75%
  • Penn State Harrisburg 54%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Rutgers 13%
  • Penn State Harrisburg 27%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Rutgers University New Brunswick in New Brunswick, NJ with Penn State Harrisburg in Middletown, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (52,269 students vs. 4,478 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is located in New Brunswick, NJ (Small City setting); Penn State Harrisburg is in Middletown, PA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Harrisburg is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Rutgers University New Brunswick 16:1; Penn State Harrisburg 15:1.

Rutgers vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rutgers or Penn State Harrisburg? 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 Rutgers University New Brunswick than Penn State Harrisburg ($20,522 vs. $23,788).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 7.9% lower than at Rutgers University New Brunswick ($14,474 vs. $15,714).
  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is 12.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Harrisburg (about $1,957 more per year; $17,929.00 vs. $15,972.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 38.9% higher at Rutgers than at Penn State Harrisburg (about $10,483 more per year; $37,441.00 vs. $26,958.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State Harrisburg than at Rutgers University New Brunswick (63% vs. 50%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students is 81.1% larger than aid received by Penn State Harrisburg students ($16,742 vs. $9,245).

Rutgers vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Rutgers or Penn State Harrisburg? 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 Penn State Harrisburg and Rutgers.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Rutgers University New Brunswick (1410) is 190 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1220).
  • Incoming Rutgers students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 26 at Penn State Harrisburg).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Rutgers University New Brunswick 1310/1500; Penn State Harrisburg 1120/1310.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Rutgers University New Brunswick 28/33; Penn State Harrisburg 22/31.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Rutgers - Test optional; Penn State Harrisburg - Test optional.
  • 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 (97.6%) than Rutgers (58.1%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.5% at Rutgers vs. 11.2% at Penn State Harrisburg.

Rutgers vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Rutgers and Penn State Harrisburg? 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).

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick's six-year graduation rate (77%) is higher than Penn State Harrisburg's (63%).
  • Graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick earn a median of about $10,900 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates about ten years after starting college ($66,200 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Rutgers University New Brunswick graduates have a $4,603 lower median loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates ($22,215 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Rutgers graduates have an estimated $48 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.