Bowie State University vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College

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

Bowie State University Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Location Bowie, MD Erie, PA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,275 3,295
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #962 #503
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bowiestate.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bowie State University Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Tuition (In State) $5,811 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $16,533 $25,854
Room & Board $12,468 $12,984
Avg Net Price $13,886 $21,968
Avg Grant Aid $9,463 $9,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 71%

Admission

Bowie State University Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,445 4,363
Admitted 4,712 4,164
Acceptance Rate 86.5% 95.4%
Enrolled % 25.2% 19.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.12 3.49
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30
SAT Range 800/1048 1095/1330
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 May 15, 2024

Academics

Bowie State University Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communications Technology (10%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Bowie State University Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Graduation Rate 41% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,500 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 29% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,391 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $252 $277

Diversity

Bowie State University Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% Men 37% 64%
% Women 63% 36%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 3% 79%
% Black 86% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 9%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Bowie State University Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% In-State 78% 74%
% Out-of-State 19% 19%

Campus

Bowie State University Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Bowie State University is larger than than Penn State Erie-Behrend College based on total student enrollment (6,275 students vs. 3,295 students)

Bowie State University vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bowie State University or Penn State Erie-Behrend College?

  • Penn State Erie Behrend College is 164.8% more expensive to attend than Bowie State University for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $5,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56.4% higher at Penn State Erie-Behrend College than Bowie State University ($25,854.00 vs. $16,533.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bowie State University than Penn State Erie-Behrend College ($13,886 vs. $21,968)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bowie State University are 4.1% lower than costs at Penn State Erie Behrend College ($12,468 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bowie State University than Penn State Erie Behrend College (76% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Erie Behrend College students is 2.3% larger than aid received Bowie State University ($9,685 vs. $9,463)

Bowie State University vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bowie State University or Penn State Erie-Behrend College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State Erie-Behrend College or Bowie State University .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Erie Behrend College (1054) is 171 points higher than at Bowie State University (883)
  • Incoming Penn State Erie-Behrend College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Bowie State University (18)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Erie-Behrend College students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.49) than students at Bowie State University (3.12)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.4%) than Bowie State University (86.5%)

Bowie State University vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bowie State University or Penn State Erie-Behrend College? 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 Erie-Behrend College and Bowie State University.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Erie-Behrend College is higher than Bowie State University (66% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Erie Behrend College earn on average $4,800 more per year than Bowie State University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $50,500)
  • Bowie State University students graduate with a $2,427 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($24,391 vs. $26,818)
  • Bowie State University graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($252 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bowie State University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 29%)

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