Gannon University vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. Mercyhurst College

Should I go to Gannon University or Penn State Erie Behrend College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Gannon 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Gannon University vs. Penn State Erie Behrend College vs. Mercyhurst College comparison
Gannon University Penn State Erie Behrend College Mercyhurst College College 4
Gannon University Penn State Erie Behrend College
Remove Remove Remove +Add

Overview

Gannon University Penn State Erie-Behrend College Mercyhurst College
Location Erie, PA Erie, PA Erie, PA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 4,548 3,323 2,668
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #440 #538
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - Roman Catholic -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website gannon.edu psu.edu mercyhurst.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

Gannon University Penn State Erie-Behrend College Mercyhurst College
Tuition (In State) $36,865 $15,388 $41,580
Tuition (Out of State) $36,865 $26,112 $41,580
Room & Board $15,610 $14,774 $14,274
Avg Net Price $23,942 $20,964 $26,962
Avg Grant Aid $27,483 $10,930 $31,437
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 66% 99%

Admission

Gannon University Penn State Erie-Behrend College Mercyhurst College
Applied 6,331 4,827 3,500
Admitted 4,856 4,620 2,913
Acceptance Rate 76.7% 95.7% 83.2%
Enrolled % 12.7% 18.7% 19.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.49 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/28 23/28
SAT Range 990/1250 1110/1320
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

Gannon University Penn State Erie-Behrend College Mercyhurst College
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (29%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Health Professions (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (7%)
  • General Studies (5%)

Outcomes

Gannon University Penn State Erie-Behrend College Mercyhurst College
Graduation Rate 66% 66% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,900 $55,300 $43,700
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 69% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818 $26,698
Median Loan Payment $279 $277 $276

Diversity

Gannon University Penn State Erie-Behrend College Mercyhurst College
% Men 17% 2% 5%
% Women 19% 1% 9%
Racial Diversity Low Low Low
HBCU No No No
% White 76% 79% 73%
% Black 5% 4% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 2% 2%
% Native American 0% 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2% 1%
% International 9% 9% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 1% 4%

Students

Gannon University Penn State Erie-Behrend College Mercyhurst College
% In-State 56% 74% 51%
% Out-of-State 27% 19% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Gannon University is larger than than Penn State Erie-Behrend College based on total student enrollment (4,548 students vs. 3,323 students)

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

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

  • Gannon University is 139.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State Erie-Behrend College for in-state tuition ($36,865.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 41.2% higher at Gannon University than Penn State Erie Behrend College ($36,865.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Erie Behrend College than Gannon University ($20,964 vs. $23,942)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Erie Behrend College are 5.7% lower than costs at Gannon University ($14,774 vs. $15,610)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Gannon University than Penn State Erie Behrend College (82% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gannon University students is 151.4% larger than aid received Penn State Erie Behrend College ($27,483 vs. $10,930)

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

Which college is harder to get into, Gannon 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 Gannon University .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Erie Behrend College (1054) is 19 points higher than at Gannon University (1035)
  • Incoming Gannon University students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (23)
  • Accepted freshman Gannon University students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at Penn State Erie-Behrend College (3.49)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than Gannon University (76.7%)

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

Which is better, Gannon 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 Gannon University.

  • The graduation rate at Gannon University is the same as at Penn State Erie Behrend College (66% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Erie Behrend College earn on average $2,400 more per year than Gannon University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $52,900)
  • Penn State Erie Behrend College students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Gannon University graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Gannon University graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Gannon University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 67%)

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