Purchase College vs. Penn State Berks

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

 Purchase College Penn State Berks
Location Purchase, NY Reading, PA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,182 2,077
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #319 #657
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Purchase College Penn State Berks
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $25,854
Room & Board $14,948 $14,334
Avg Net Price $19,434 $21,728
Avg Grant Aid $10,312 $8,528
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 66%

Admission

 Purchase College Penn State Berks
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,747 5,605
Admitted 4,292 5,453
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 97.3%
Enrolled % 16% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 29/31 23/28
SAT Range 1190/1350 1090/1290
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 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 Purchase College Penn State Berks
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

 Purchase College Penn State Berks
Graduation Rate 56% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $232 $277

Diversity

 Purchase College Penn State Berks
% Men 42% 59%
% Women 58% 41%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 68%
% Black 10% 9%
% Hispanic 18% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

 Purchase College Penn State Berks
% In-State 85% 64%
% Out-of-State 14% 30%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY at Purchase College is larger than than Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (3,182 students vs. 2,077 students)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Berks Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Purchase College or Penn State Berks?

  • Penn State Berks is 117.7% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.3% higher at Penn State Berks than SUNY at Purchase College ($25,854.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Penn State Berks ($19,434 vs. $21,728)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Berks are 4.3% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($14,334 vs. $14,948)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than Penn State Berks (73% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Purchase College students is 20.9% larger than aid received Penn State Berks ($10,312 vs. $8,528)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Berks Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY at Purchase College (1082) is 104 points higher than at Penn State Berks (978)
  • Incoming Purchase College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Berks (22)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Berks students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than Purchase College (74.7%)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Berks Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College or Penn State Berks? 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 Berks and Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at Purchase College is higher than Penn State Berks (56% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Berks earn on average $15,100 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $4,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Berks graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Berks graduates. ($232 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Berks graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 65%)

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