Emerson vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Emerson Penn State Harrisburg
Location Boston, MA Middletown, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 5,891 4,572
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #235 #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website emerson.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Emerson Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $52,288 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $52,288 $25,854
Room & Board $19,528 $14,978
Avg Net Price $51,432 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $24,360 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 63%

Admission

Emerson Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,109 9,925
Admitted 5,176 9,483
Acceptance Rate 42.7% 95.5%
Enrolled % 19.4% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.48
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/32 24/28
SAT Range 1250/1430 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 Feb 20, 2024

Academics

Emerson Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (33%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (29%)
  • English and Literature (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Health Professions (2%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Emerson Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 81% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $242 $277

Diversity

Emerson Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 28% 60%
% Women 72% 40%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 59%
% Black 3% 11%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 7% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

Emerson Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 14% 46%
% Out-of-State 69% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Emerson College is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (5,891 students vs. 4,572 students)

Emerson vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Emerson College is 239.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($52,288.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 102.2% higher at Emerson than Penn State Harrisburg ($52,288.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Emerson ($22,096 vs. $51,432)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 30.4% lower than costs at Emerson College ($14,978 vs. $19,528)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Emerson College than Penn State Harrisburg (78% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Emerson College students is 174.3% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($24,360 vs. $8,882)

Emerson vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Emerson 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 Emerson .

  • The average SAT score at Emerson College (1211) is 168 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Emerson students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Emerson students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Emerson (42.7%)

Emerson vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Emerson 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 Emerson.

  • The graduation rate at Emerson is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (81% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $6,100 more per year than Emerson graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $49,200)
  • Emerson College students graduate with a $3,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($23,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Emerson graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($242 vs. $277)
  • More Emerson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 69%)

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