Arcadia vs. Penn State Berks

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

Arcadia Penn State Berks
Location Glenside, PA Reading, PA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,026 2,077
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #502 #657
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arcadia.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Arcadia Penn State Berks
Tuition (In State) $46,430 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $46,430 $25,854
Room & Board $13,720 $14,334
Avg Net Price $29,692 $21,728
Avg Grant Aid $30,934 $8,528
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 66%

Admission

Arcadia Penn State Berks
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,321 5,605
Admitted 4,903 5,453
Acceptance Rate 77.6% 97.3%
Enrolled % 10% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/29 23/28
SAT Range 1088/1320 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

Arcadia Penn State Berks
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Arcadia Penn State Berks
Graduation Rate 62% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

Arcadia Penn State Berks
% Men 32% 59%
% Women 68% 41%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 68% 68%
% Black 9% 9%
% Hispanic 8% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Arcadia Penn State Berks
% In-State 62% 64%
% Out-of-State 37% 30%

Campus

Arcadia 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

  • Arcadia University is larger than than Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (3,026 students vs. 2,077 students)

Arcadia vs. Penn State Berks Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Arcadia or Penn State Berks?

  • Arcadia University is 201.7% more expensive to attend than Penn State Berks for in-state tuition ($46,430.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 79.6% higher at Arcadia than Penn State Berks ($46,430.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Berks than Arcadia ($21,728 vs. $29,692)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Arcadia University are 4.5% lower than costs at Penn State Berks ($13,720 vs. $14,334)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Arcadia University than Penn State Berks (99% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Arcadia University students is 262.7% larger than aid received Penn State Berks ($30,934 vs. $8,528)

Arcadia vs. Penn State Berks Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Arcadia 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 Arcadia .

  • The average SAT score at Arcadia University (1104) is 126 points higher than at Penn State Berks (978)
  • Incoming Arcadia students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Berks (22)
  • Accepted freshman Arcadia students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Penn State Berks (3.39)
  • Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than Arcadia (77.6%)

Arcadia vs. Penn State Berks Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Arcadia 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 Arcadia.

  • The graduation rate at Arcadia is higher than Penn State Berks (62% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Berks earn on average $8,900 more per year than Arcadia graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $46,400)
  • Penn State Berks students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Arcadia graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Berks graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Arcadia graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Arcadia graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Berks students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 69%)

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