HACC vs. Laurel Business Institute

Comparable Facts

Compare Harrisburg Area Community College in Harrisburg, PA with Laurel Business Institute in Uniontown, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Harrisburg Area Community College is larger than Laurel Business Institute based on total student enrollment (12,585 students vs. 518 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Harrisburg Area Community College is located in Harrisburg, PA (Small City setting); Laurel Business Institute is in Uniontown, PA (Small Suburban setting).
• Harrisburg Area Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Laurel Business Institute is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Harrisburg Area Community College 13:1; Laurel Business Institute 9:1.

HACC vs. Laurel Business Institute Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HACC or Laurel Business Institute? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Laurel Business Institute than HACC ($6,925 vs. $12,059).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Laurel Business Institute are 67.2% lower than at Harrisburg Area Community College ($3,620 vs. $11,024).
• Laurel Business Institute is 44.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than HACC (about $4,218 more per year; $13,713.00 vs. $9,495.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 10% higher at Laurel Business Institute than at Harrisburg Area Community College (about $1,241 more per year; $13,713.00 vs. $12,472.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Laurel Business Institute than at Harrisburg Area Community College (67% vs. 58%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Laurel Business Institute students is 35.7% larger than aid received by Harrisburg Area Community College students ($8,453 vs. $6,230).

HACC vs. Laurel Business Institute Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, HACC or Laurel Business Institute? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Laurel Business Institute and HACC.

• Harrisburg Area Community College reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: HACC - Open admission; Laurel Business Institute - Test-free.

HACC vs. Laurel Business Institute Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for HACC and Laurel Business Institute? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Harrisburg Area Community College earn a median of about $11,500 more per year than Laurel Business Institute graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,200 vs. $24,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Laurel Business Institute graduates have a $7,662 lower median loan debt than HACC graduates ($12,000 vs. $19,662).
• Among borrowers, Laurel Business Institute graduates have an estimated $79 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than HACC graduates ($124 vs. $203).
• More Laurel Business Institute graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HACC students, three years after graduation. (49% vs. 42%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.