HACC vs. Penn Commercial

Comparable Facts

Compare Harrisburg Area Community College in Harrisburg, PA with Penn Commercial Business/Technical School in Washington, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Harrisburg Area Community College is larger than Penn Commercial based on total student enrollment (12,585 students vs. 265 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Harrisburg Area Community College is located in Harrisburg, PA (Small City setting); Penn Commercial Business/Technical School is in Washington, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• Harrisburg Area Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Penn Commercial Business/Technical School is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Harrisburg Area Community College 13:1; Penn Commercial Business/Technical School 9:1.

HACC vs. Penn Commercial Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, HACC or Penn Commercial? 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 Harrisburg Area Community College than Penn Commercial ($12,059 vs. $16,793).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn Commercial Business/Technical School are 26.5% lower than at Harrisburg Area Community College ($8,100 vs. $11,024).
• Penn Commercial Business/Technical School is 43.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than HACC (about $4,159 more per year; $13,654.00 vs. $9,495.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 9.5% higher at Penn Commercial than at Harrisburg Area Community College (about $1,182 more per year; $13,654.00 vs. $12,472.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Harrisburg Area Community College than at Penn Commercial Business/Technical School (58% vs. 40%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Penn Commercial Business/Technical School students is 23.6% larger than aid received by Harrisburg Area Community College students ($7,699 vs. $6,230).

HACC vs. Penn Commercial Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, HACC or Penn Commercial? 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 Penn Commercial and HACC.

• Harrisburg Area Community College reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: HACC - not listed in this dataset; Penn Commercial - Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind).

HACC vs. Penn Commercial Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for HACC and Penn Commercial? 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 $3,700 more per year than Penn Commercial graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,200 vs. $32,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn Commercial Business/Technical School graduates have a $7,662 lower median loan debt than HACC graduates ($12,000 vs. $19,662).
• Among borrowers, Penn Commercial graduates have an estimated $79 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than HACC graduates ($124 vs. $203).
• More HACC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn Commercial students, three years after graduation. (42% vs. 36%)

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.