Mercyhurst College vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Mercyhurst College Penn State Harrisburg
Location Erie, PA Middletown, PA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,801 4,572
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #613
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mercyhurst.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mercyhurst College Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $40,530 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $40,530 $25,854
Room & Board $14,025 $14,978
Avg Net Price $24,935 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $32,418 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 63%

Admission

Mercyhurst College Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,625 9,925
Admitted 2,920 9,483
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 95.5%
Enrolled % 18.7% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/28
SAT Range 1100/1310
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

Mercyhurst College Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (19%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (7%)
  • General Studies (5%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Mercyhurst College Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 68% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,698 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $276 $277

Diversity

Mercyhurst College Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 40% 60%
% Women 60% 40%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 73% 59%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 11% 10%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

Mercyhurst College Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 51% 46%
% Out-of-State 45% 27%

Campus

Mercyhurst College 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

  • Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than Mercyhurst College based on total student enrollment (4,572 students vs. 2,801 students)

Mercyhurst College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mercyhurst College or Penn State Harrisburg?

  • Mercyhurst College is 163.4% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($40,530.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56.8% higher at Mercyhurst College than Penn State Harrisburg ($40,530.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Mercyhurst College ($22,096 vs. $24,935)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mercyhurst College are 6.8% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($14,025 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mercyhurst College than Penn State Harrisburg (95% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mercyhurst College students is 265% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($32,418 vs. $8,882)

Mercyhurst College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Mercyhurst College 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 Mercyhurst College .

  • Accepted freshman Penn State Harrisburg students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at Mercyhurst College (3.36)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Mercyhurst College (80.6%)

Mercyhurst College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Mercyhurst College 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 Mercyhurst College.

  • The graduation rate at Mercyhurst College is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (68% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $11,600 more per year than Mercyhurst College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $43,700)
  • Mercyhurst College students graduate with a $120 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($26,698 vs. $26,818)
  • Mercyhurst College graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($276 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Harrisburg graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mercyhurst College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 56%)

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