Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. Mason

Should I go to Penn State Greater Allegheny or George Mason University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Greater Allegheny or Mason 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 Greater Allegheny vs. George Mason University comparison
Penn State Greater Allegheny George Mason University College 3 College 4
George Mason University
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Overview

 Penn State Greater Allegheny Mason
Location McKeesport, PA Fairfax, VA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 363 39,049
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #228
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu gmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Greater Allegheny Mason
Tuition (In State) $13,824 $9,795
Tuition (Out of State) $23,086 $35,377
Room & Board $12,254 $13,120
Avg Net Price $19,505 $18,479
Avg Grant Aid $10,269 $10,760
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 74%

Admission

 Penn State Greater Allegheny Mason
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 672 20,001
Admitted 589 18,001
Acceptance Rate 87.6% 90%
Enrolled % 19.5% 23%
Avg High School GPA - 3.68
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/31
SAT Range 1040/1300 1140/1350
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 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

 Penn State Greater Allegheny Mason
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (38%)
  • Psychology (35%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (2%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Greater Allegheny Mason
Graduation Rate 47% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $19,750
Median Loan Payment $277 $204

Diversity

 Penn State Greater Allegheny Mason
% Men 61% 48%
% Women 39% 52%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 61% 43%
% Black 19% 11%
% Hispanic 7% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 Penn State Greater Allegheny Mason
% In-State 68% 77%
% Out-of-State 30% 17%

Campus

 Penn State Greater Allegheny Mason
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • George Mason University is larger than than Penn State Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (39,049 students vs. 363 students)

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. Mason Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Greater Allegheny or Mason?

  • Penn State Greater Allegheny is 41.1% more expensive to attend than Mason for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $9,795.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 53.2% higher at Mason than Penn State Greater Allegheny ($35,377.00 vs. $23,086.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at George Mason University than Penn State Greater Allegheny ($18,479 vs. $19,505)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Greater Allegheny are 7.1% lower than costs at George Mason University ($12,254 vs. $13,120)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Greater Allegheny than George Mason University (85% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by George Mason University students is 4.8% larger than aid received Penn State Greater Allegheny ($10,760 vs. $10,269)

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. Mason Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Greater Allegheny or Mason? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Mason or Penn State Greater Allegheny .

  • The average SAT score at George Mason University (1153) is 210 points higher than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (943)
  • Incoming Mason students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Penn State Greater Allegheny (23)
  • Mason has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than Penn State Greater Allegheny (87.6%)

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. Mason Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Greater Allegheny or Mason? 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 Mason and Penn State Greater Allegheny.

  • The graduation rate at Mason is higher than Penn State Greater Allegheny (64% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from George Mason University earn on average $6,600 more per year than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $55,300)
  • George Mason University students graduate with a $7,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates. ($19,750 vs. $26,818)
  • Mason graduates are paying $73 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates. ($204 vs. $277)
  • More Mason graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Greater Allegheny students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)

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