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Penn State Erie-Behrend College Endicott College Penn State Altoona JMU Stonehill College Penn State Bryant University Assumption College Penn State York Penn State Abington Rowan University Roger Williams University| Merrimack College | Penn State Harrisburg | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Merrimack | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
| Location | North Andover, MA | Middletown, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 5,505 | 4,572 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #613 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | Roman Catholic | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | merrimack.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Merrimack | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $45,815 | $15,388 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $45,815 | $25,854 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,295 | $14,978 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $37,296 | $22,096 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $27,729 | $8,882 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 63% |
Admission |
Merrimack | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 13,175 | 9,925 | ||
| Admitted | 9,833 | 9,483 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.6% | 95.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12% | 12.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.3 | 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 | Sep 1, 2023 |
Academics |
Merrimack | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Merrimack | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
| Graduation Rate | 70% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $58,000 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 78% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $277 |
Diversity |
Merrimack | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 43% | 60% | ||
| % Women | 57% | 40% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 73% | 59% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 11% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 1% | 3% | ||
| % International | 5% | 10% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 11% | 2% |
Students |
Merrimack | Penn State Harrisburg | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 66% | 46% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 31% | 27% | ||
Campus |
Merrimack | 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
- Merrimack College is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (5,505 students vs. 4,572 students)
Merrimack vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Merrimack or Penn State Harrisburg?
- Merrimack College is 197.7% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($45,815.00 vs. $15,388.00)
- Out of state tuition is 77.2% higher at Merrimack than Penn State Harrisburg ($45,815.00 vs. $25,854.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Merrimack ($22,096 vs. $37,296)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 22.1% lower than costs at Merrimack College ($14,978 vs. $18,295)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Merrimack College than Penn State Harrisburg (97% vs. 63%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Merrimack College students is 212.2% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($27,729 vs. $8,882)
Merrimack vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Merrimack 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 Merrimack .
- Accepted freshman Penn State Harrisburg students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at Merrimack (3.3)
- Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Merrimack (74.6%)
Merrimack vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Merrimack 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 Merrimack.
- The graduation rate at Merrimack is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (70% vs. 63%)
- Graduates from Merrimack College earn on average $2,700 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($58,000 vs. $55,300)
- Penn State Harrisburg students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Merrimack graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
- Penn State Harrisburg graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Merrimack graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
- More Merrimack graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/