MSU Billings vs. Penn State Harrisburg

Should I go to Montana State University Billings or Penn State Harrisburg? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if MSU Billings 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Montana State University Billings vs. Penn State Harrisburg comparison
Montana State University Billings Penn State Harrisburg College 3 College 4
Penn State Harrisburg
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

MSU Billings Penn State Harrisburg
Location Billings, MT Middletown, PA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,057 4,572
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website msubillings.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MSU Billings Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $4,620 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $18,209 $25,854
Room & Board $8,348 $14,978
Avg Net Price $12,487 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $5,394 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 63%

Admission

MSU Billings Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 9,925
Admitted - 9,483
Acceptance Rate 95.5%
Enrolled % 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.05 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 required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

MSU Billings Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

MSU Billings Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 33% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $180 $277

Diversity

MSU Billings Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 35% 60%
% Women 65% 40%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 82% 59%
% Black 1% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 4% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 10%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

MSU Billings Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 86% 46%
% Out-of-State 11% 27%

Campus

MSU Billings Penn State Harrisburg
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than MSU Billings based on total student enrollment (4,572 students vs. 4,057 students)

MSU Billings vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MSU Billings or Penn State Harrisburg?

  • Penn State Harrisburg is 233.1% more expensive to attend than MSU Billings for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $4,620.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than Montana State University Billings ($25,854.00 vs. $18,209.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Montana State University Billings than Penn State Harrisburg ($12,487 vs. $22,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Montana State University Billings are 79.4% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($8,348 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Montana State University Billings than Penn State Harrisburg (98% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Harrisburg students is 64.7% larger than aid received Montana State University Billings ($8,882 vs. $5,394)

Which college is harder to get into, MSU Billings 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 MSU Billings .

  • Accepted freshman Penn State Harrisburg students have a 0.43 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at MSU Billings (3.05)

MSU Billings vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MSU Billings 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 MSU Billings.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Harrisburg is higher than Montana State University Billings (63% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $17,500 more per year than MSU Billings graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $37,800)
  • Montana State University Billings students graduate with a $9,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($17,500 vs. $26,818)
  • MSU Billings graduates are paying $97 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($180 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Harrisburg graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MSU Billings students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 58%)

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