Wagner College vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Wagner College Penn State Harrisburg
Location Staten Island, NY Middletown, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,932 4,651
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #350 #595
Religious Affiliation Lutheran Church in America - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wagner.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wagner College Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $50,200 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $50,200 $26,112
Room & Board $15,600 $15,870
Avg Net Price $28,109 $22,406
Avg Grant Aid $35,322 $8,421
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 54%

Admission

Wagner College Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,328 10,296
Admitted 1,943 9,924
Acceptance Rate 83.5% 96.4%
Enrolled % 20.5% 12.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/27 26/30
SAT Range 1150/1320 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 Feb 15, 2026

Academics

Wagner College Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Wagner College Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 67% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,100 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,379 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $272 $277

Diversity

Wagner College Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 4% 5%
% Women 14% 6%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 66% 59%
% Black 7% 11%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 10%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

Wagner College Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 46% 46%
% Out-of-State 46% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than Wagner College based on total student enrollment (4,651 students vs. 1,932 students)

Wagner College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Wagner College is 226.2% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($50,200.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 92.2% higher at Wagner College than Penn State Harrisburg ($50,200.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Wagner College ($22,406 vs. $28,109)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wagner College are 1.7% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($15,600 vs. $15,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wagner College than Penn State Harrisburg (100% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wagner College students is 319.5% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($35,322 vs. $8,421)

Wagner College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Wagner 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 Wagner College (83.5%)

Wagner College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wagner 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 Wagner College.

  • The graduation rate at Wagner College is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (67% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Wagner College earn on average $8,800 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($64,100 vs. $55,300)
  • Wagner College students graduate with a $439 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($26,379 vs. $26,818)
  • Wagner College graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($272 vs. $277)
  • More Wagner College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 69%)

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