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UMass Penn State Altoona UMass Dartmouth BU Wentworth Institute of Technology Penn State University of Massachusetts-Boston Northeastern UConn Bridgewater State UB Penn State Harrisburg| University of Massachusetts Lowell | Penn State Berks | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
University of Massachusetts-Lowell | Penn State Berks | ||
| Location | Lowell, MA | Reading, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 16,770 | 1,944 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #428 | #647 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uml.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
University of Massachusetts-Lowell | Penn State Berks | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,850 | $15,388 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $34,676 | $26,112 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,424 | $14,232 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,624 | $22,450 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,647 | $9,327 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 79% | 64% |
Admission |
University of Massachusetts-Lowell | Penn State Berks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 12,628 | 5,844 | ||
| Admitted | 10,764 | 5,676 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 85.2% | 97.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 19.4% | 10.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.67 | 3.39 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 26/30 | 26/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1180/1350 | 1090/1310 | ||
| 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 | Feb 15, 2026 |
Academics |
University of Massachusetts-Lowell | Penn State Berks | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
University of Massachusetts-Lowell | Penn State Berks | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 55% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 63% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $277 |
Diversity |
University of Massachusetts-Lowell | Penn State Berks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 15% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 13% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 64% | 68% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 9% | ||
| % Hispanic | 10% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 4% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
University of Massachusetts-Lowell | Penn State Berks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 87% | 64% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 10% | 30% | ||
Campus |
University of Massachusetts-Lowell | Penn State Berks | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Massachusetts Lowell is larger than than Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (16,770 students vs. 1,944 students)
University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Penn State Berks Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or Penn State Berks?
- University of Massachusetts Lowell is 3% more expensive to attend than Penn State Berks for in-state tuition ($15,850.00 vs. $15,388.00)
- Out of state tuition is 32.8% higher at University of Massachusetts-Lowell than Penn State Berks ($34,676.00 vs. $26,112.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Lowell than Penn State Berks ($17,624 vs. $22,450)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Berks are 8.4% lower than costs at University of Massachusetts Lowell ($14,232 vs. $15,424)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Lowell than Penn State Berks (79% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Massachusetts Lowell students is 35.6% larger than aid received Penn State Berks ($12,647 vs. $9,327)
University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Penn State Berks Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or Penn State Berks? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State Berks or University of Massachusetts-Lowell .
- The average SAT score at University of Massachusetts Lowell (1197) is 219 points higher than at Penn State Berks (978)
- Incoming University of Massachusetts-Lowell students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Penn State Berks (22)
- Accepted freshman University of Massachusetts-Lowell students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at Penn State Berks (3.39)
- Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (97.1%) than University of Massachusetts-Lowell (85.2%)
University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Penn State Berks Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or Penn State Berks? 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 Berks and University of Massachusetts-Lowell.
- The graduation rate at Penn State Berks is higher than University of Massachusetts Lowell (55% vs. 50%)
- Graduates of University of Massachusetts Lowell and Penn State Berks have equivalent average earnings after ten years ($55,300 vs. $55,300)
- University of Massachusetts Lowell students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Berks graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
- University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Berks graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
- More Penn State Berks graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Massachusetts-Lowell students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 63%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/