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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 | Penn State Harrisburg | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Purchase College | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
| Location | Purchase, NY | Middletown, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 3,182 | 4,572 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #319 | #613 | ||
| 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 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $16,980 | $25,854 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,948 | $14,978 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,434 | $22,096 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,312 | $8,882 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 73% | 63% |
Admission |
Purchase College | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,747 | 9,925 | ||
| Admitted | 4,292 | 9,483 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.7% | 95.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16% | 12.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.37 | 3.48 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 29/31 | 24/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1190/1350 | 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 | Jul 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Purchase College | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 14:1 | ||
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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 | 42% | 60% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 40% | ||
| 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 | 85% | 46% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 14% | 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 (4,572 students vs. 3,182 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 52.3% higher at Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg ($19,434 vs. $22,096)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 0.2% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($14,948 vs. $14,978)
- More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than Penn State Harrisburg (73% vs. 63%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Purchase College students is 16.1% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($10,312 vs. $8,882)
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 (95.5%) than Purchase College (74.7%)
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/