CSU vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley

Should I go to Chicago State University or Penn State Lehigh Valley? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

UIC Northeastern Illinois University DePaul WCU Lehigh University of Connecticut-Stamford EIU TU Northern Illinois KU Penn State Brandywine Dominican
Chicago State University vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley comparison
Chicago State University Penn State Lehigh Valley College 3 College 4
Chicago State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 CSU Penn State Lehigh Valley
Location Chicago, IL Center Valley, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,317 888
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #870
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU Penn State Lehigh Valley
Tuition (In State) $7,656 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $7,656 $24,318
Room & Board $13,800 $12,984
Avg Net Price $6,446 $18,142
Avg Grant Aid $15,891 $9,886
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 78%

Admission

 CSU Penn State Lehigh Valley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,404 1,806
Admitted 3,592 1,699
Acceptance Rate 48.5% 94.1%
Enrolled % 4.8% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.18 3.42
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/19 22/26
SAT Range 750/963 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

Academics

 CSU Penn State Lehigh Valley
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (31%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (46%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
  • Foreign Languages (3%)

Outcomes

 CSU Penn State Lehigh Valley
Graduation Rate 21% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 25% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,250 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $323 $277

Diversity

 CSU Penn State Lehigh Valley
% Men 33% 57%
% Women 67% 43%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 3% 64%
% Black 75% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 16%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 12% 1%

Students

 CSU Penn State Lehigh Valley
% In-State 77% 93%
% Out-of-State 20% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Chicago State University is larger than than Penn State Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (2,317 students vs. 888 students)

CSU vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Lehigh Valley is 91% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($14,624.00 vs. $7,656.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 217.6% higher at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Chicago State University ($24,318.00 vs. $7,656.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Chicago State University than Penn State Lehigh Valley ($6,446 vs. $18,142)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Lehigh Valley are 6.3% lower than costs at Chicago State University ($12,984 vs. $13,800)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Chicago State University than Penn State Lehigh Valley (93% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Chicago State University students is 60.7% larger than aid received Penn State Lehigh Valley ($15,891 vs. $9,886)

CSU vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU 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 CSU .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1019) is 144 points higher than at CSU (875)
  • Incoming Penn State Lehigh Valley students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at CSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Lehigh Valley students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at CSU (3.18)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (94.1%) than CSU (48.5%)

CSU vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU 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 CSU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Lehigh Valley is higher than Chicago State University (47% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Lehigh Valley earn on average $17,000 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $38,300)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley students graduate with a $4,432 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($26,818 vs. $31,250)
  • Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($277 vs. $323)
  • More Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 25%)

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