Purchase College vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

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

Penn State Erie-Behrend College State University of New York at New Paltz Penn State Altoona JMU University at Albany- SUNY Penn State Penn State York Penn State Abington Rowan University Pace University-New York SUNY College at Oneonta SUNY College at Oswego
SUNY at Purchase College vs. Penn State Harrisburg comparison
SUNY at Purchase College Penn State Harrisburg College 3 College 4
SUNY at Purchase College Penn State Harrisburg
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Purchase College Penn State Harrisburg
Location Purchase, NY Middletown, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,229 4,651
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #297 #595
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Purchase College Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $26,112
Room & Board $15,400 $15,870
Avg Net Price $18,651 $22,406
Avg Grant Aid $9,627 $8,421
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 54%

Admission

 Purchase College Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,221 10,296
Admitted 5,259 9,924
Acceptance Rate 72.8% 96.4%
Enrolled % 14.8% 12.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32 26/30
SAT Range 1178/1363 1110/1320
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, 2026

Academics

 Purchase College Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

 Purchase College Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 56% 63%
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 Harrisburg
% Men 1% 5%
% Women 1% 6%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 59%
% Black 10% 11%
% Hispanic 18% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 2% 10%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

 Purchase College Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 78% 46%
% Out-of-State 21% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (4,651 students vs. 3,229 students)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Harrisburg 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 53.8% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than SUNY at Purchase College ($26,112.00 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 Harrisburg ($18,651 vs. $22,406)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 3.1% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($15,400 vs. $15,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than Penn State Harrisburg (72% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Purchase College students is 14.3% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($9,627 vs. $8,421)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Purchase College 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 Purchase College .

  • The average SAT score at SUNY at Purchase College (1082) is 39 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Purchase College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Harrisburg students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than Purchase College (72.8%)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College 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 Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Harrisburg is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (63% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($232 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Harrisburg 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/