Syracuse vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley

Deciding between Syracuse University and Penn State Lehigh Valley? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Syracuse University

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Syracuse Syracuse, NY
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley Center Valley, PA
  • Setting
  • Syracuse Midsize City
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley Large Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Syracuse 22,589
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 867
  • Type
  • Syracuse Private 4 Year
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Syracuse #158
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Syracuse -
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley -
  • Status
  • Syracuse Non-profit
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Syracuse
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Syracuse $65,528
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley $15,208
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Syracuse $65,528
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley $25,392
  • Room & Board
  • Syracuse $19,188
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley $15,274
  • Average Net Price
  • Syracuse $48,215
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley $19,066
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Syracuse $36,417
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley $9,065
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Syracuse 76%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 80%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Syracuse 44,480
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 1,827
  • Admitted
  • Syracuse 20,427
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 1,779
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Syracuse 45.9%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 97.4%
  • Enrolled
  • Syracuse 18.8%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 14%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Syracuse 1360
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 1230
  • Typical ACT score
  • Syracuse 30
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley
  • Average High School GPA
  • Syracuse 3.69
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 3.42
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Syracuse A-
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • Syracuse Very High
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • Syracuse Low
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley
  • ACT Range
  • Syracuse 29/32
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley
  • SAT Range
  • Syracuse 1270/1440
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 1130/1320
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Syracuse Test optional
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Syracuse Jan 1, 2027
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Syracuse 15:1
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 14:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Syracuse
    • Business (18%)
    • Communication (17%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
    • Psychology (5%)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley
    • Business (46%)
    • Education (25%)
    • Psychology (18%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
    • Foreign Languages (3%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Syracuse 80%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 47%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Syracuse $65,900
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Syracuse 80%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Syracuse $27,000
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Syracuse $279
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Syracuse 44%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 59%
  • % Women
  • Syracuse 56%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 41%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Syracuse High
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley Medium
  • HBCU
  • Syracuse No
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley No
  • % White
  • Syracuse 55%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 64%
  • % Asian
  • Syracuse 8%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 10%
  • % Black
  • Syracuse 8%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 6%
  • % Hispanic
  • Syracuse 11%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 16%
  • % Native American
  • Syracuse 1%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Syracuse 0%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Syracuse 3%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 2%
  • % International
  • Syracuse 12%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Syracuse 2%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Syracuse 31%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 90%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Syracuse 63%
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley 9%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Syracuse Yes
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Syracuse No
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley No
  • Meal Plan
  • Syracuse Yes
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Syracuse Yes
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Syracuse Yes
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley No

Comparable Facts

Compare Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY with Penn State Lehigh Valley in Center Valley, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Syracuse University is larger than Penn State Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (22,589 students vs. 867 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Syracuse University is located in Syracuse, NY (Midsize City setting); Penn State Lehigh Valley is in Center Valley, PA (Large Suburban setting).
  • Syracuse University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Lehigh Valley is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Syracuse University 15:1; Penn State Lehigh Valley 14:1.

Syracuse vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Syracuse or Penn State Lehigh Valley? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Syracuse ($19,066 vs. $48,215).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Lehigh Valley are 20.4% lower than at Syracuse University ($15,274 vs. $19,188).
  • Syracuse University is 330.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Lehigh Valley (about $50,320 more per year; $65,528.00 vs. $15,208.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 158.1% higher at Syracuse than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (about $40,136 more per year; $65,528.00 vs. $25,392.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State Lehigh Valley than at Syracuse University (80% vs. 76%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Syracuse University students is 301.7% larger than aid received by Penn State Lehigh Valley students ($36,417 vs. $9,065).

Syracuse vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Syracuse or Penn State Lehigh Valley? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State Lehigh Valley and Syracuse.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Syracuse University (1360) is 130 points higher than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1230).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Syracuse University 1270/1440; Penn State Lehigh Valley 1130/1320.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Syracuse University 29/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Syracuse - Test optional; Penn State Lehigh Valley - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Syracuse Jan 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Syracuse students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (3.42).
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than Syracuse (45.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18.8% at Syracuse vs. 14% at Penn State Lehigh Valley.

Syracuse vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Syracuse and Penn State Lehigh Valley? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Syracuse University's six-year graduation rate (80%) is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley's (47%).
  • Graduates from Syracuse University earn a median of about $10,600 more per year than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates about ten years after starting college ($65,900 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than Syracuse graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Syracuse graduates ($277 vs. $279).
  • More Syracuse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Lehigh Valley students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.