Penn State Harrisburg vs. EMU

Should I go to Penn State Harrisburg or Eastern Mennonite University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Harrisburg or EMU 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

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

Penn State Erie-Behrend College Penn State Altoona JMU Penn State Penn State York Penn State Abington Rowan University University of New Hampshire-Main Campus Ohio University UB Penn State Berks City College of New York
Penn State Harrisburg vs. Eastern Mennonite University comparison
Penn State Harrisburg Eastern Mennonite University College 3 College 4
Penn State Harrisburg Eastern Mennonite University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Penn State Harrisburg EMU
Location Middletown, PA Harrisonburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 4,572 1,334
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #613 #215
Religious Affiliation - Mennonite Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu emu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Harrisburg EMU
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $40,590
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $40,590
Room & Board $14,978 $12,240
Avg Net Price $22,096 $23,783
Avg Grant Aid $8,882 $30,460
% Receiving Grant Aid 63% 96%

Admission

 Penn State Harrisburg EMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,925 1,144
Admitted 9,483 1,138
Acceptance Rate 95.5% 99.5%
Enrolled % 12.6% 17.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Elite
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/28 25/34
SAT Range 1100/1310 1040/1590
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Penn State Harrisburg EMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Health Professions (30%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • General Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Harrisburg EMU
Graduation Rate 63% 66%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $43,900
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $23,450
Median Loan Payment $277 $242

Diversity

 Penn State Harrisburg EMU
% Men 60% 34%
% Women 40% 66%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 71%
% Black 11% 10%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 10% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 Penn State Harrisburg EMU
% In-State 46% 68%
% Out-of-State 27% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than EMU based on total student enrollment (4,572 students vs. 1,334 students)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. EMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Harrisburg or EMU?

  • Eastern Mennonite University is 163.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($40,590.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57% higher at EMU than Penn State Harrisburg ($40,590.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than EMU ($22,096 vs. $23,783)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Mennonite University are 22.4% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($12,240 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Mennonite University than Penn State Harrisburg (96% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Mennonite University students is 242.9% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($30,460 vs. $8,882)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. EMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Harrisburg (1043) is 34 points higher than at EMU (1009)
  • Incoming Penn State Harrisburg students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at EMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman EMU students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • EMU has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than Penn State Harrisburg (95.5%)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. EMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Harrisburg or EMU? 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 EMU and Penn State Harrisburg.

  • The graduation rate at EMU is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (66% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $11,400 more per year than EMU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $43,900)
  • Eastern Mennonite University students graduate with a $3,368 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($23,450 vs. $26,818)
  • EMU graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($242 vs. $277)
  • More EMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 69%)

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