Drexel vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Drexel Penn State Harrisburg
Location Philadelphia, PA Middletown, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 22,344 4,572
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #124 #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website drexel.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Drexel Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $56,595 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $56,595 $25,854
Room & Board $16,980 $14,978
Avg Net Price $39,267 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $33,861 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 63%

Admission

Drexel Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 37,040 9,925
Admitted 29,487 9,483
Acceptance Rate 79.6% 95.5%
Enrolled % 10% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32 24/28
SAT Range 1230/1430 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 15, 2024

Academics

Drexel Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Drexel Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 68% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $77,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,243 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $271 $277

Diversity

Drexel Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 46% 60%
% Women 54% 40%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 54% 59%
% Black 7% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 13% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Drexel Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 44% 46%
% Out-of-State 47% 27%

Campus

Drexel 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

  • Drexel University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (22,344 students vs. 4,572 students)

Drexel vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Drexel University is 267.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($56,595.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 118.9% higher at Drexel than Penn State Harrisburg ($56,595.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Drexel ($22,096 vs. $39,267)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 13.4% lower than costs at Drexel University ($14,978 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Drexel University than Penn State Harrisburg (100% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Drexel University students is 281.2% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($33,861 vs. $8,882)

Drexel vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Drexel 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 Drexel .

  • The average SAT score at Drexel University (1214) is 171 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Drexel students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Drexel students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Drexel (79.6%)

Drexel vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Drexel 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 Drexel.

  • The graduation rate at Drexel is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (68% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Drexel University earn on average $22,100 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($77,400 vs. $55,300)
  • Drexel University students graduate with a $575 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($26,243 vs. $26,818)
  • Drexel graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($271 vs. $277)
  • More Drexel graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 69%)

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