BU vs. Penn State Harrisburg

Should I go to Boston University or Penn State Harrisburg? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BU 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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Boston University vs. Penn State Harrisburg comparison
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Boston University Penn State Harrisburg
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Overview

BU Penn State Harrisburg
Location Boston, MA Middletown, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 36,714 4,572
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #79 #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $61,050 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $61,050 $25,854
Room & Board $17,400 $14,978
Avg Net Price $27,829 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $51,565 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 63%

Admission

BU Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,796 9,925
Admitted 11,607 9,483
Acceptance Rate 14.4% 95.5%
Enrolled % 31.3% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.48
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 31/34 24/28
SAT Range 1350/1500 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 Jan 4, 2024

Academics

BU Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

BU Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 85% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $72,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

BU Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 43% 60%
% Women 57% 40%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 59%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 20% 10%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

BU Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 14% 46%
% Out-of-State 61% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (36,714 students vs. 4,572 students)

BU vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Boston University is 296.7% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($61,050.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 136.1% higher at BU than Penn State Harrisburg ($61,050.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than BU ($22,096 vs. $27,829)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 16.2% lower than costs at Boston University ($14,978 vs. $17,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Harrisburg than Boston University (63% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 480.6% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($51,565 vs. $8,882)

BU vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BU 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 BU .

  • The average SAT score at Boston University (1303) is 260 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming BU students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman BU students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than BU (14.4%)

BU vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BU 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 BU.

  • The graduation rate at BU is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (85% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Boston University earn on average $16,700 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($72,000 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Harrisburg students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Harrisburg graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More BU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 69%)

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