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UMBC Maryland Salisbury Penn State Erie-Behrend College WCU Penn State Altoona Frostburg State University JMU WVU Stevenson University Penn State Howard| Towson University | Penn State Harrisburg | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
TU | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
| Location | Towson, MD | Middletown, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 19,527 | 4,651 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #375 | #595 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | towson.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
TU | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $7,382 | $15,388 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $24,402 | $26,112 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,644 | $15,870 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,064 | $22,406 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,565 | $8,421 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 62% | 54% |
Admission |
TU | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 18,948 | 10,296 | ||
| Admitted | 15,689 | 9,924 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 82.8% | 96.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 19.2% | 12.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.69 | 3.48 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/28 | 26/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1050/1270 | 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 | Apr 1, 2026 |
Academics |
TU | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
TU | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
| Graduation Rate | 64% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,500 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,750 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $183 | $277 |
Diversity |
TU | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 12% | 6% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 61% | 59% | ||
| % Black | 18% | 11% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 10% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 2% |
Students |
TU | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 90% | 46% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 9% | 27% | ||
Campus |
TU | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Towson University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (19,527 students vs. 4,651 students)
TU vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, TU or Penn State Harrisburg?
- Penn State Harrisburg is 108.5% more expensive to attend than TU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,382.00)
- Out of state tuition is 7% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than Towson University ($26,112.00 vs. $24,402.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than Penn State Harrisburg ($15,064 vs. $22,406)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Towson University are 1.4% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($15,644 vs. $15,870)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Towson University than Penn State Harrisburg (62% vs. 54%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Towson University students is 37.3% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($11,565 vs. $8,421)
TU vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, TU 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 TU .
- The average SAT score at Towson University (1081) is 38 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
- Incoming TU students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
- Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
- Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than TU (82.8%)
TU vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, TU 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 TU.
- The graduation rate at TU is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (64% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $1,800 more per year than TU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $53,500)
- Towson University students graduate with a $9,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($17,750 vs. $26,818)
- TU graduates are paying $94 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($183 vs. $277)
- More TU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/