UNCSA vs. Penn State Harrisburg

Should I go to University of North Carolina School of the Arts or Penn State Harrisburg? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNCSA 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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University of North Carolina School of the Arts vs. Penn State Harrisburg comparison
University of North Carolina School of the Arts Penn State Harrisburg College 3 College 4
University of North Carolina School of the Arts Penn State Harrisburg
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Overview

UNCSA Penn State Harrisburg
Location Winston-Salem, NC Middletown, PA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,104 4,572
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #291 #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uncsa.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNCSA Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $6,497 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $23,731 $25,854
Room & Board $12,902 $14,978
Avg Net Price $11,251 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $10,868 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 69% 63%

Admission

UNCSA Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,139 9,925
Admitted 362 9,483
Acceptance Rate 31.8% 95.5%
Enrolled % 58% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.48
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 22/30 24/28
SAT Range 1115/1350 1100/1310
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 Mar 15, 2025

Academics

UNCSA Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

UNCSA Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 58% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

UNCSA Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 41% 60%
% Women 59% 40%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 72% 59%
% Black 9% 11%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 2% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

UNCSA Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 43% 46%
% Out-of-State 52% 27%

Campus

UNCSA 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 UNCSA based on total student enrollment (4,572 students vs. 1,104 students)

UNCSA vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNCSA or Penn State Harrisburg?

  • Penn State Harrisburg is 136.8% more expensive to attend than UNCSA for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $6,497.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.9% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than University of North Carolina School of the Arts ($25,854.00 vs. $23,731.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina School of the Arts than Penn State Harrisburg ($11,251 vs. $22,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina School of the Arts are 16.1% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($12,902 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of North Carolina School of the Arts than Penn State Harrisburg (69% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina School of the Arts students is 22.4% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($10,868 vs. $8,882)

UNCSA vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UNCSA 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 UNCSA .

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina School of the Arts (1108) is 65 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming UNCSA students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman UNCSA students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than UNCSA (31.8%)

UNCSA vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNCSA 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 UNCSA.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Harrisburg is higher than University of North Carolina School of the Arts (63% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $16,200 more per year than UNCSA graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $39,100)
  • Penn State Harrisburg students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than UNCSA graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Harrisburg graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than UNCSA graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Penn State Harrisburg graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCSA students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 56%)

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