Western New England University vs. Penn State Berks

Should I go to Western New England University or Penn State Berks? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Western New England University or Penn State Berks 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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Western New England University vs. Penn State Berks comparison
Western New England University Penn State Berks College 3 College 4
Western New England University Penn State Berks
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Overview

Western New England University Penn State Berks
Location Springfield, MA Reading, PA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,430 2,077
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #372 #657
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wne.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Western New England University Penn State Berks
Tuition (In State) $41,750 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $41,750 $25,854
Room & Board $14,670 $14,334
Avg Net Price $30,214 $21,728
Avg Grant Aid $24,781 $8,528
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 66%

Admission

Western New England University Penn State Berks
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,128 5,605
Admitted 5,393 5,453
Acceptance Rate 88% 97.3%
Enrolled % 10.9% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.49 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/29 23/28
SAT Range 1090/1280 1090/1290
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

Academics

Western New England University Penn State Berks
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Western New England University Penn State Berks
Graduation Rate 61% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

Western New England University Penn State Berks
% Men 53% 59%
% Women 47% 41%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 73% 68%
% Black 6% 9%
% Hispanic 8% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Western New England University Penn State Berks
% In-State 54% 64%
% Out-of-State 44% 30%

Campus

Western New England University 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

  • Western New England University is larger than than Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (3,430 students vs. 2,077 students)

Western New England University vs. Penn State Berks Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Western New England University or Penn State Berks?

  • Western New England University is 171.3% more expensive to attend than Penn State Berks for in-state tuition ($41,750.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61.5% higher at Western New England University than Penn State Berks ($41,750.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Berks than Western New England University ($21,728 vs. $30,214)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Berks are 2.3% lower than costs at Western New England University ($14,334 vs. $14,670)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western New England University than Penn State Berks (97% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western New England University students is 190.6% larger than aid received Penn State Berks ($24,781 vs. $8,528)

Western New England University vs. Penn State Berks Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Western New England University 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 Western New England University .

  • The average SAT score at Western New England University (1080) is 102 points higher than at Penn State Berks (978)
  • Incoming Western New England University students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Berks (22)
  • Accepted freshman Western New England University students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.49) than students at Penn State Berks (3.39)
  • Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than Western New England University (88%)

Western New England University vs. Penn State Berks Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Western New England University 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 Western New England University.

  • The graduation rate at Western New England University is higher than Penn State Berks (61% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Western New England University earn on average $4,500 more per year than Penn State Berks graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Berks students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Western New England University graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Berks graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Western New England University graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Western New England University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Berks students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 69%)

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