Union College vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Union College Penn State Harrisburg
Location Schenectady, NY Middletown, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,082 4,651
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #87 #595
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website union.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Union College Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $66,105 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $66,105 $26,112
Room & Board $16,389 $15,870
Avg Net Price $42,884 $22,406
Avg Grant Aid $38,751 $8,421
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 54%

Admission

Union College Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,295 10,296
Admitted 4,070 9,924
Acceptance Rate 43.8% 96.4%
Enrolled % 13.5% 12.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/33 26/30
SAT Range 1310/1480 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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Union College Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Union College Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 86% 63%
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 Harrisburg
% Men 0% 5%
% Women 1% 6%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 73% 59%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 7% 10%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Union College Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 28% 46%
% Out-of-State 63% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than Union College based on total student enrollment (4,651 students vs. 2,082 students)

Union College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Union College or Penn State Harrisburg?

  • Union College is 329.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($66,105.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 153.2% higher at Union College than Penn State Harrisburg ($66,105.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Union College ($22,406 vs. $42,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 3.3% lower than costs at Union College ($15,870 vs. $16,389)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Union College than Penn State Harrisburg (94% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Union College students is 360.2% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($38,751 vs. $8,421)

Union College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Union 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 Union College .

  • Accepted freshman Union College students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than Union College (43.8%)

Union College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Union 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 Union College.

  • The graduation rate at Union College is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (86% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Union College earn on average $18,900 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($74,200 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Harrisburg students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Union College graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg 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/