Purchase College vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley

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

Purchase College Penn State Lehigh Valley
Location Purchase, NY Center Valley, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,182 888
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #319
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Purchase College Penn State Lehigh Valley
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $24,318
Room & Board $14,948 $12,984
Avg Net Price $19,434 $18,142
Avg Grant Aid $10,312 $9,886
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 78%

Admission

Purchase College Penn State Lehigh Valley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,747 1,806
Admitted 4,292 1,699
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 94.1%
Enrolled % 16% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 29/31 22/26
SAT Range 1190/1350 1100/1290
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 Lehigh Valley
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 (46%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
  • Foreign Languages (3%)

Outcomes

Purchase College Penn State Lehigh Valley
Graduation Rate 56% 47%
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 Lehigh Valley
% Men 42% 57%
% Women 58% 43%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 55% 64%
% Black 10% 6%
% Hispanic 18% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

Purchase College Penn State Lehigh Valley
% In-State 85% 93%
% Out-of-State 14% 6%

Campus

Purchase College Penn State Lehigh Valley
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 Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (3,182 students vs. 888 students)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 43.2% higher at Penn State Lehigh Valley than SUNY at Purchase College ($24,318.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Purchase College ($18,142 vs. $19,434)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Lehigh Valley are 15.1% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($12,984 vs. $14,948)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Lehigh Valley than SUNY at Purchase College (78% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Purchase College students is 4.3% larger than aid received Penn State Lehigh Valley ($10,312 vs. $9,886)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY at Purchase College (1082) is 63 points higher than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1019)
  • Incoming Purchase College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (23)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Lehigh Valley students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (94.1%) than Purchase College (74.7%)

Purchase College vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Purchase College is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley (56% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Lehigh Valley graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates. ($232 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Lehigh Valley 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/