Penn State Berks vs. Penn State

Deciding between Penn State Berks and Penn State Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,500 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Penn State Berks
Penn State Main Campus

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State Berks Reading, PA
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Penn State Berks Rural Fringe
  • Penn State Small City
  • Enrollment
  • Penn State Berks 1,884
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Penn State Berks Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State Berks #703
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State Berks -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Penn State Berks Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State Berks
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State Berks $15,972
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State Berks $26,958
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State Berks $14,474
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State Berks $23,721
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State Berks $9,405
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State Berks 69%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State Berks 6,030
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Penn State Berks 5,950
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State Berks 98.7%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State Berks 9.4%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State Berks 1180
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State Berks 22
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State Berks 3.39
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State Berks B+
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Berks Average
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Berks
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State Berks 18/27
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State Berks 1090/1275
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Berks Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
  • Penn State Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State Berks
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State Berks 13:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State Berks
    • Business (23%)
    • Education (12%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
    • Communication (8%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State Berks 55%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State Berks $55,300
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State Berks 69%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State Berks $26,818
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State Berks $277
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State Berks 0%
  • Penn State 8%
  • % Women
  • Penn State Berks 0%
  • Penn State 8%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Berks Medium
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Penn State Berks No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Penn State Berks 68%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State Berks 5%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Penn State Berks 9%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State Berks 11%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State Berks 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State Berks 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State Berks 2%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Penn State Berks 3%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State Berks 1%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State Berks 71%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State Berks 25%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Penn State Berks Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Penn State Berks No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Penn State Berks Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Penn State Berks No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Penn State Berks No
  • Penn State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Berks in Reading, PA with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 1,884 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Berks is located in Reading, PA (Rural Fringe setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Penn State Berks is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Berks 13:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Penn State Berks vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Berks or Penn State? 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 Berks than Penn State ($23,721 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at Penn State Berks and Penn State ($14,474).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 29.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Berks (about $4,672 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $15,972.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 55% higher at Penn State than at Penn State Berks (about $14,832 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $26,958.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State Berks than at Penn State Main Campus (69% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 20.5% larger than aid received by Penn State Berks students ($11,336 vs. $9,405).

Penn State Berks vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Berks or Penn State? 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 State and Penn State Berks.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 150 points higher than at Penn State Berks (1180).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 7 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 22 at Penn State Berks).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Berks 1090/1275; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Berks 18/27; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Berks - Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional); Penn State - Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional).
  • Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (98.7%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.4% at Penn State Berks vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Penn State Berks vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Berks and Penn State? 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).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than Penn State Berks's (55%).
  • Graduates of Penn State Berks and Penn State 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 Main Campus and Penn State Berks graduates have the same median loan debt ($26,818 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers in the federal data, Penn State Main Campus and Penn State Berks 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 Main Campus and Penn State Berks 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.