Purchase College vs. Penn State Brandywine

Should I go to SUNY at Purchase College or Penn State Brandywine? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Purchase College or Penn State Brandywine 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

State University of New York at New Paltz Penn State Abington WCU University at Albany- SUNY Pace University-New York SUNY College at Oneonta SUNY College at Oswego John Jay Binghamton University SUNY Stony Brook Ship Penn State Harrisburg
SUNY at Purchase College vs. Penn State Brandywine comparison
SUNY at Purchase College Penn State Brandywine College 3 College 4
SUNY at Purchase College Penn State Brandywine
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Purchase College Penn State Brandywine
Location Purchase, NY Media, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,229 1,223
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #297 #766
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Purchase College Penn State Brandywine
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $24,562
Room & Board $15,400 $13,820
Avg Net Price $18,651 $21,739
Avg Grant Aid $9,627 $9,380
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 69%

Admission

 Purchase College Penn State Brandywine
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,221 2,461
Admitted 5,259 2,346
Acceptance Rate 72.8% 95.3%
Enrolled % 14.8% 18.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32 18/29
SAT Range 1178/1363 1110/1340
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 Brandywine
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (28%)
  • Work and Family Studies (28%)
  • Communication (23%)
  • Ethnic Studies (6%)
  • Education (5%)

Outcomes

 Purchase College Penn State Brandywine
Graduation Rate 56% 37%
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 Brandywine
% Men 1% 0%
% Women 1% 0%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 63%
% Black 10% 15%
% Hispanic 18% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

 Purchase College Penn State Brandywine
% In-State 78% 74%
% Out-of-State 21% 24%

Campus

 Purchase College Penn State Brandywine
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
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 Brandywine based on total student enrollment (3,229 students vs. 1,223 students)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Brandywine Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Brandywine is 106.8% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($14,624.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.7% higher at Penn State Brandywine than SUNY at Purchase College ($24,562.00 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 Brandywine ($18,651 vs. $21,739)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Brandywine are 11.4% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($13,820 vs. $15,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than Penn State Brandywine (72% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Purchase College students is 2.6% larger than aid received Penn State Brandywine ($9,627 vs. $9,380)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Brandywine Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY at Purchase College (1082) is 113 points higher than at Penn State Brandywine (969)
  • Incoming Purchase College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Brandywine (22)
  • Penn State Brandywine has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than Purchase College (72.8%)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Brandywine Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Purchase College is higher than Penn State Brandywine (56% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Brandywine 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 Brandywine graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Brandywine graduates. ($232 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Brandywine 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/