Salisbury vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Salisbury Penn State Harrisburg
Location Salisbury, MD Middletown, PA
Setting Small Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 7,123 4,572
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #357 #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website salisbury.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Salisbury Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $7,556 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $18,032 $25,854
Room & Board $12,990 $14,978
Avg Net Price $19,756 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $6,917 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 63%

Admission

Salisbury Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,108 9,925
Admitted 7,383 9,483
Acceptance Rate 91.1% 95.5%
Enrolled % 18.7% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.48
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/27 24/28
SAT Range 1180/1320 1100/1310
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Salisbury Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Salisbury Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 67% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,153 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $208 $277

Diversity

Salisbury Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 43% 60%
% Women 57% 40%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 59%
% Black 13% 11%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Salisbury Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 80% 46%
% Out-of-State 19% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Salisbury University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (7,123 students vs. 4,572 students)

Salisbury vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Harrisburg is 103.7% more expensive to attend than Salisbury for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,556.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.4% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than Salisbury University ($25,854.00 vs. $18,032.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Salisbury University than Penn State Harrisburg ($19,756 vs. $22,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Salisbury University are 15.3% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($12,990 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Salisbury University than Penn State Harrisburg (95% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Harrisburg students is 28.4% larger than aid received Salisbury University ($8,882 vs. $6,917)

Salisbury vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Salisbury 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 Salisbury .

  • Accepted freshman Salisbury students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Salisbury (91.1%)

Salisbury vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Salisbury 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 Salisbury.

  • The graduation rate at Salisbury is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (67% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $3,300 more per year than Salisbury graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $52,000)
  • Salisbury University students graduate with a $6,665 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($20,153 vs. $26,818)
  • Salisbury graduates are paying $69 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($208 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Harrisburg graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Salisbury 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/