William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Harrisburg
Location Wayne, NJ Middletown, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 9,070 4,572
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #557 #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wpunj.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $14,192 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $23,192 $25,854
Room & Board $13,160 $14,978
Avg Net Price $12,967 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $10,919 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 63%

Admission

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,062 9,925
Admitted 6,464 9,483
Acceptance Rate 91.5% 95.5%
Enrolled % 12.5% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 2.97 3.48
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/28
SAT Range 990/1345 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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 46% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $253 $277

Diversity

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 35% 60%
% Women 65% 40%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 59%
% Black 16% 11%
% Hispanic 27% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 92% 46%
% Out-of-State 6% 27%

Campus

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Harrisburg
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • William Paterson University of New Jersey is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (9,070 students vs. 4,572 students)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, William Paterson University of New Jersey or Penn State Harrisburg?

  • Penn State Harrisburg is 8.4% more expensive to attend than William Paterson University of New Jersey for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $14,192.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.5% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than William Paterson University of New Jersey ($25,854.00 vs. $23,192.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at William Paterson University of New Jersey than Penn State Harrisburg ($12,967 vs. $22,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at William Paterson University of New Jersey are 13.8% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($13,160 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at William Paterson University of New Jersey than Penn State Harrisburg (95% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by William Paterson University of New Jersey students is 22.9% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($10,919 vs. $8,882)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, William Paterson University of New Jersey 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 William Paterson University of New Jersey .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Harrisburg (1043) is 53 points higher than at William Paterson University of New Jersey (990)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Harrisburg students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at William Paterson University of New Jersey (2.97)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than William Paterson University of New Jersey (91.5%)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, William Paterson University of New Jersey 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 William Paterson University of New Jersey.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Harrisburg is higher than William Paterson University of New Jersey (63% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $8,800 more per year than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $46,500)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey students graduate with a $2,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($24,500 vs. $26,818)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($253 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Harrisburg graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William Paterson University of New Jersey students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 59%)

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