Western New England University vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Western New England University Penn State Harrisburg
Location Springfield, MA Middletown, PA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,574 4,651
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #383 #595
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wne.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Western New England University Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $43,380 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $43,380 $26,112
Room & Board $14,900 $15,870
Avg Net Price $31,548 $22,406
Avg Grant Aid $27,351 $8,421
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 54%

Admission

Western New England University Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,534 10,296
Admitted 5,440 9,924
Acceptance Rate 83.3% 96.4%
Enrolled % 13.4% 12.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.49 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/27 26/30
SAT Range 1130/1310 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

Academics

Western New England University Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Western New England University Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 61% 63%
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 Harrisburg
% Men 12% 5%
% Women 16% 6%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 73% 59%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 3% 10%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

Western New England University Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 57% 46%
% Out-of-State 41% 27%

Campus

Western New England University 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 Western New England University based on total student enrollment (4,651 students vs. 3,574 students)

Western New England University vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Western New England University is 181.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($43,380.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66.1% higher at Western New England University than Penn State Harrisburg ($43,380.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Western New England University ($22,406 vs. $31,548)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western New England University are 6.5% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($14,900 vs. $15,870)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western New England University than Penn State Harrisburg (100% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western New England University students is 224.8% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($27,351 vs. $8,421)

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

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

  • The average SAT score at Western New England University (1080) is 37 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Western New England University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Western New England University students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.49) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than Western New England University (83.3%)

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

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Harrisburg is higher than Western New England University (63% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Western New England University earn on average $4,500 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Harrisburg students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Western New England University graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg 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/