Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. RU

Should I go to Penn State Erie Behrend College or Radford University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Erie-Behrend College or RU 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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Penn State Erie Behrend College vs. Radford University comparison
Penn State Erie Behrend College Radford University College 3 College 4
Penn State Erie Behrend College Radford University
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Overview

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College RU
Location Erie, PA Radford, VA
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 3,295 7,718
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #503 #566
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu radford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College RU
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $8,156
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $20,246
Room & Board $12,984 $10,567
Avg Net Price $21,968 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $9,685 $9,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 96%

Admission

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College RU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,363 11,442
Admitted 4,164 10,680
Acceptance Rate 95.4% 93.3%
Enrolled % 19.9% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.49 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30 19/23
SAT Range 1095/1330 960/1160
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College RU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College RU
Graduation Rate 66% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $237

Diversity

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College RU
% Men 64% 33%
% Women 36% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 71%
% Black 4% 13%
% Hispanic 2% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 9% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College RU
% In-State 74% 89%
% Out-of-State 19% 11%

Campus

 Penn State Erie-Behrend College RU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Radford University is larger than than Penn State Erie-Behrend College based on total student enrollment (7,718 students vs. 3,295 students)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Erie-Behrend College or RU?

  • Penn State Erie Behrend College is 88.7% more expensive to attend than RU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $8,156.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.7% higher at Penn State Erie-Behrend College than Radford University ($25,854.00 vs. $20,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Radford University than Penn State Erie-Behrend College ($17,105 vs. $21,968)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Radford University are 22.9% lower than costs at Penn State Erie Behrend College ($10,567 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Radford University than Penn State Erie Behrend College (96% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Radford University students is 0.5% larger than aid received Penn State Erie Behrend College ($9,733 vs. $9,685)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Erie-Behrend College or RU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RU or Penn State Erie-Behrend College .

  • Accepted freshman Penn State Erie-Behrend College students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.49) than students at RU (3.31)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.4%) than RU (93.3%)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Erie-Behrend College or RU? 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 RU and Penn State Erie-Behrend College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Erie-Behrend College is higher than Radford University (66% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Erie Behrend College earn on average $7,900 more per year than RU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $47,400)
  • Radford University students graduate with a $3,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($23,000 vs. $26,818)
  • RU graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($237 vs. $277)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Erie-Behrend College students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 69%)

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