Bowie State University vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley

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

Bowie State University Penn State Lehigh Valley
Location Bowie, MD Center Valley, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,275 888
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #962
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bowiestate.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bowie State University Penn State Lehigh Valley
Tuition (In State) $5,811 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $16,533 $24,318
Room & Board $12,468 $12,984
Avg Net Price $13,886 $18,142
Avg Grant Aid $9,463 $9,886
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 78%

Admission

Bowie State University Penn State Lehigh Valley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,445 1,806
Admitted 4,712 1,699
Acceptance Rate 86.5% 94.1%
Enrolled % 25.2% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.12 3.42
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/26
SAT Range 800/1048 1100/1290
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 May 15, 2024

Academics

Bowie State University Penn State Lehigh Valley
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communications Technology (10%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Business (46%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
  • Foreign Languages (3%)

Outcomes

Bowie State University Penn State Lehigh Valley
Graduation Rate 41% 47%
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 Lehigh Valley
% Men 37% 57%
% Women 63% 43%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU Yes No
% White 3% 64%
% Black 86% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Bowie State University Penn State Lehigh Valley
% In-State 78% 93%
% Out-of-State 19% 6%

Campus

Bowie State University Penn State Lehigh Valley
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Bowie State University is larger than than Penn State Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (6,275 students vs. 888 students)

Bowie State University vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bowie State University or Penn State Lehigh Valley?

  • Penn State Lehigh Valley is 151.7% more expensive to attend than Bowie State University for in-state tuition ($14,624.00 vs. $5,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.1% higher at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Bowie State University ($24,318.00 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 Lehigh Valley ($13,886 vs. $18,142)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bowie State University are 4.1% lower than costs at Penn State Lehigh Valley ($12,468 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Bowie State University (78% vs. 76%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Lehigh Valley students is 4.5% larger than aid received Bowie State University ($9,886 vs. $9,463)

Bowie State University vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1019) is 136 points higher than at Bowie State University (883)
  • Incoming Penn State Lehigh Valley students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Bowie State University (18)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Lehigh Valley students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Bowie State University (3.12)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (94.1%) than Bowie State University (86.5%)

Bowie State University vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bowie State University or Penn State Lehigh Valley? 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 Lehigh Valley and Bowie State University.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Lehigh Valley is higher than Bowie State University (47% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Lehigh Valley graduates. ($24,391 vs. $26,818)
  • Bowie State University graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates. ($252 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Lehigh Valley 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/