Amherst vs. Penn State York

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

Amherst Penn State York
Location Amherst, MA York, PA
Setting Town Fringe Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 1,898 718
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #16
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Penn State York
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $24,318
Room & Board $16,750 $12,984
Avg Net Price $21,367 $18,910
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $8,440
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 84%

Admission

Amherst Penn State York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 2,005
Admitted 1,079 1,862
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 92.9%
Enrolled % 43.3% 10.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Elite Average
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 32/35 23/26
SAT Range 1420/1550 1090/1300
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 Jan 2, 2024

Academics

Amherst Penn State York
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Work and Family Studies (24%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

Amherst Penn State York
Graduation Rate 96% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $134 $277

Diversity

Amherst Penn State York
% Men 48% 64%
% Women 52% 36%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 42% 63%
% Black 12% 6%
% Hispanic 13% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 10% 15%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Amherst Penn State York
% In-State 13% 81%
% Out-of-State 74% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Amherst College is larger than than Penn State York based on total student enrollment (1,898 students vs. 718 students)

Amherst vs. Penn State York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Penn State York?

  • Amherst College is 334.2% more expensive to attend than Penn State York for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $14,624.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 161.1% higher at Amherst than Penn State York ($63,500.00 vs. $24,318.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State York than Amherst ($18,910 vs. $21,367)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State York are 29% lower than costs at Amherst College ($12,984 vs. $16,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State York than Amherst College (84% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 595.4% larger than aid received Penn State York ($58,693 vs. $8,440)

Amherst vs. Penn State York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Amherst or Penn State York? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State York or Amherst .

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 401 points higher than at Penn State York (1050)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Penn State York (24)
  • Penn State York has a higher acceptance rate (92.9%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. Penn State York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst or Penn State York? 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 York and Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Penn State York (96% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $26,700 more per year than Penn State York graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $55,300)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $13,843 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State York graduates. ($12,975 vs. $26,818)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $143 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State York graduates. ($134 vs. $277)
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State York students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 69%)

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