Penn State Beaver vs. Penn State Berks

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Beaver in Monaca, PA with Penn State Berks in Reading, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Berks is larger than Penn State Beaver based on total student enrollment (1,884 students vs. 482 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Beaver is located in Monaca, PA (Large Suburban setting); Penn State Berks is in Reading, PA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Penn State Beaver is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Berks is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Beaver 12:1; Penn State Berks 13:1.

Penn State Beaver vs. Penn State Berks Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Beaver or Penn State Berks? 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 Penn State Beaver than Penn State Berks ($18,581 vs. $23,721).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at Penn State Beaver and Penn State Berks ($14,474).
• Penn State Berks is 10.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Beaver (about $1,564 more per year; $15,972.00 vs. $14,408.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 11.7% higher at Penn State Berks than at Penn State Beaver (about $2,824 more per year; $26,958.00 vs. $24,134.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State Beaver than at Penn State Berks (88% vs. 69%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Berks students is 4% larger than aid received by Penn State Beaver students ($9,405 vs. $9,045).

Penn State Beaver vs. Penn State Berks Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Beaver or Penn State Berks? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State Berks and Penn State Beaver.

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Penn State Beaver (1190) is 10 points higher than at Penn State Berks (1180).
• Incoming Penn State Beaver students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (25 vs. 22 at Penn State Berks).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Penn State Beaver 1080/1290; Penn State Berks 1090/1275.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Penn State Beaver 24/27; Penn State Berks 18/27.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Beaver - Test optional; Penn State Berks - Test optional.
• Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (98.7%) than Penn State Beaver (95.7%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.5% at Penn State Beaver vs. 9.4% at Penn State Berks.

Penn State Beaver vs. Penn State Berks Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Beaver and Penn State Berks? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Penn State Berks's six-year graduation rate (55%) is higher than Penn State Beaver's (47%).
• Graduates of Penn State Beaver and Penn State Berks have equivalent median earnings about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $55,300), per the federal College Scorecard cohort (typically among students working and not enrolled).
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Berks and Penn State Beaver graduates have the same median loan debt ($26,818 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Penn State Berks and Penn State Beaver graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($277 vs. $277).
• Federal student loan repayment rates three years after graduation are the same for Penn State Berks and Penn State Beaver graduates (69% vs. 69%).

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.