Union College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College

Should I go to Union College or Penn State Erie Behrend College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Union College or Penn State Erie-Behrend College 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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Union College vs. Penn State Erie Behrend College comparison
Union College Penn State Erie Behrend College College 3 College 4
Union College Penn State Erie Behrend College
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Overview

Union College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Location Schenectady, NY Erie, PA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,107 3,295
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #76 #503
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website union.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Union College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Tuition (In State) $63,603 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $63,603 $25,854
Room & Board $15,768 $12,984
Avg Net Price $41,136 $21,968
Avg Grant Aid $37,530 $9,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 71%

Admission

Union College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,458 4,363
Admitted 3,934 4,164
Acceptance Rate 46.5% 95.4%
Enrolled % 14.6% 19.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.49
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/33 22/30
SAT Range 1310/1490 1095/1330
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Union College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Union College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Graduation Rate 86% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

Union College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% Men 55% 64%
% Women 45% 36%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 79%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 7% 9%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Union College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% In-State 28% 74%
% Out-of-State 63% 19%

Campus

Union College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Erie Behrend College is larger than than Union College based on total student enrollment (3,295 students vs. 2,107 students)

Union College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Union College or Penn State Erie-Behrend College?

  • Union College is 313.3% more expensive to attend than Penn State Erie-Behrend College for in-state tuition ($63,603.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 146% higher at Union College than Penn State Erie Behrend College ($63,603.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Erie Behrend College than Union College ($21,968 vs. $41,136)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Erie Behrend College are 21.4% lower than costs at Union College ($12,984 vs. $15,768)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Union College than Penn State Erie Behrend College (93% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Union College students is 287.5% larger than aid received Penn State Erie Behrend College ($37,530 vs. $9,685)

Union College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Union College students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (3.49)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.4%) than Union College (46.5%)

Union College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Union College or Penn State Erie-Behrend College? 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 Erie-Behrend College and Union College.

  • The graduation rate at Union College is higher than Penn State Erie Behrend College (86% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Union College earn on average $18,900 more per year than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates after ten years. ($74,200 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Erie Behrend College students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Union College graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Union College graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Union College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Erie-Behrend College students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/