Purchase College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College

Should I go to SUNY at Purchase College or Penn State Erie Behrend College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Purchase College or Penn State Erie-Behrend College 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. 

Penn State Harrisburg State University of New York at New Paltz University at Albany- SUNY Pace University-New York SUNY College at Oneonta SUNY College at Oswego Penn State Altoona Penn State Penn State Berks Binghamton University SUNY Stony Brook Gannon University
SUNY at Purchase College vs. Penn State Erie Behrend College comparison
SUNY at Purchase College Penn State Erie Behrend College College 3 College 4
SUNY at Purchase College Penn State Erie Behrend College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Purchase College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Location Purchase, NY Erie, PA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,182 3,295
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #319 #503
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Purchase College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $25,854
Room & Board $14,948 $12,984
Avg Net Price $19,434 $21,968
Avg Grant Aid $10,312 $9,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 71%

Admission

 Purchase College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,747 4,363
Admitted 4,292 4,164
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 95.4%
Enrolled % 16% 19.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.49
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 29/31 22/30
SAT Range 1190/1350 1095/1330
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 Erie-Behrend College
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 Purchase College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Graduation Rate 56% 66%
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 Erie-Behrend College
% Men 42% 64%
% Women 58% 36%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 79%
% Black 10% 4%
% Hispanic 18% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 2% 9%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

 Purchase College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% In-State 85% 74%
% Out-of-State 14% 19%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Erie Behrend College is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (3,295 students vs. 3,182 students)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Purchase College or Penn State Erie-Behrend College?

  • Penn State Erie Behrend College 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 Erie-Behrend College 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 Erie-Behrend College ($19,434 vs. $21,968)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Erie Behrend College are 15.1% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($12,984 vs. $14,948)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than Penn State Erie Behrend College (73% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Purchase College students is 6.5% larger than aid received Penn State Erie Behrend College ($10,312 vs. $9,685)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY at Purchase College (1082) is 28 points higher than at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (1054)
  • Incoming Purchase College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (23)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Erie-Behrend College students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.49) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.4%) than Purchase College (74.7%)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College or Penn State Erie-Behrend College? 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 Erie-Behrend College and Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Erie-Behrend College is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (66% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Erie Behrend College 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 Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($232 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Erie-Behrend College 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/