WPI vs. Penn State Harrisburg

Should I go to Worcester Polytechnic Institute or Penn State Harrisburg? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WPI 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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Worcester Polytechnic Institute vs. Penn State Harrisburg comparison
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Penn State Harrisburg College 3 College 4
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Penn State Harrisburg
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Overview

WPI Penn State Harrisburg
Location Worcester, MA Middletown, PA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 7,353 4,651
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #595
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wpi.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WPI Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $57,960 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $57,960 $26,112
Room & Board $18,072 $15,870
Avg Net Price $47,799 $22,406
Avg Grant Aid $28,005 $8,421
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 54%

Admission

WPI Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,809 10,296
Admitted 6,908 9,924
Acceptance Rate 58.5% 96.4%
Enrolled % 19.7% 12.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.9 3.48
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/30
SAT Range 1110/1320
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2026

Academics

WPI Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (61%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
  • General Studies (5%)
  • Business (4%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

WPI Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 76% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

WPI Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 17% 5%
% Women 8% 6%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 63% 59%
% Black 2% 11%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 12% 10%
% Unknown Race 6% 2%

Students

WPI Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 44% 46%
% Out-of-State 49% 27%

Campus

WPI 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

  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (7,353 students vs. 4,651 students)

WPI vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute is 276.7% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($57,960.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 122% higher at WPI than Penn State Harrisburg ($57,960.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than WPI ($22,406 vs. $47,799)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 13.9% lower than costs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute ($15,870 vs. $18,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Worcester Polytechnic Institute than Penn State Harrisburg (95% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Worcester Polytechnic Institute students is 232.6% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($28,005 vs. $8,421)

WPI vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, WPI 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 WPI .

  • Accepted freshman WPI students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than WPI (58.5%)

WPI vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WPI 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 WPI.

  • The graduation rate at WPI is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (76% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Worcester Polytechnic Institute earn on average $27,400 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($82,700 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Harrisburg students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than WPI graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Harrisburg graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than WPI graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More WPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 69%)

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