Penn State Harrisburg vs. Liberty University

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

Regent University Penn State Erie-Behrend College Lee University Penn State Altoona JMU Cedarville University Penn State Penn State York Penn State Abington Rowan University Messiah College Columbia International University
Penn State Harrisburg vs. Liberty University comparison
Penn State Harrisburg Liberty University College 3 College 4
Penn State Harrisburg Liberty University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Penn State Harrisburg Liberty University
Location Middletown, PA Lynchburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 4,572 96,709
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #613 #852
Religious Affiliation - Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu liberty.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Harrisburg Liberty University
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $21,374
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $21,374
Room & Board $14,978 $12,350
Avg Net Price $22,096 $29,913
Avg Grant Aid $8,882 $12,471
% Receiving Grant Aid 63% 98%

Admission

 Penn State Harrisburg Liberty University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,925 30,943
Admitted 9,483 30,723
Acceptance Rate 95.5% 99.3%Open
Enrolled % 12.6% 19.9%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/28 21/29
SAT Range 1100/1310 1040/1250
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 Liberty University
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (17%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (14%)
  • General Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (6%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Harrisburg Liberty University
Graduation Rate 63% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 36%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $24,166
Median Loan Payment $277 $249

Diversity

 Penn State Harrisburg Liberty University
% Men 60% 41%
% Women 40% 59%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 46%
% Black 11% 13%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 10% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 31%

Students

 Penn State Harrisburg Liberty University
% In-State 46% 22%
% Out-of-State 27% 76%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Liberty University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (96,709 students vs. 4,572 students)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Liberty University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Harrisburg or Liberty University?

  • Liberty University is 38.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($21,374.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than Liberty University ($25,854.00 vs. $21,374.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Liberty University ($22,096 vs. $29,913)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Liberty University are 21.3% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($12,350 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Liberty University than Penn State Harrisburg (98% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Liberty University students is 40.4% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($12,471 vs. $8,882)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Liberty University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Liberty University (1070) is 27 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Liberty University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Liberty University students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Liberty University has a higher acceptance rate (99.3%) than Penn State Harrisburg (95.5%)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Liberty University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Harrisburg or Liberty University? 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 Liberty University and Penn State Harrisburg.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Harrisburg is higher than Liberty University (63% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $16,200 more per year than Liberty University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $39,100)
  • Liberty University students graduate with a $2,652 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($24,166 vs. $26,818)
  • Liberty University graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($249 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Harrisburg graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Liberty University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 36%)

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