Penn State Harrisburg vs. NSU

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

Penn State Harrisburg NSU
Location Middletown, PA Norfolk, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 4,572 5,783
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #613 #1008
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu nsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Harrisburg NSU
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $5,752
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $16,920
Room & Board $14,978 $10,844
Avg Net Price $22,096 $14,652
Avg Grant Aid $8,882 $12,164
% Receiving Grant Aid 63% 91%

Admission

Penn State Harrisburg NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,925 8,884
Admitted 9,483 7,951
Acceptance Rate 95.5% 89.5%
Enrolled % 12.6% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 2.9
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Challenging Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/28 15/20
SAT Range 1100/1310 840/1040
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 May 31, 2024

Academics

Penn State Harrisburg NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Penn State Harrisburg NSU
Graduation Rate 63% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $320

Diversity

Penn State Harrisburg NSU
% Men 60% 33%
% Women 40% 67%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 59% 5%
% Black 11% 84%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 10% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

Penn State Harrisburg NSU
% In-State 46% 65%
% Out-of-State 27% 31%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Norfolk State University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (5,783 students vs. 4,572 students)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. NSU Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Harrisburg is 167.5% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $5,752.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.8% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than Norfolk State University ($25,854.00 vs. $16,920.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than Penn State Harrisburg ($14,652 vs. $22,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 38.1% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($10,844 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Norfolk State University than Penn State Harrisburg (91% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Norfolk State University students is 37% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($12,164 vs. $8,882)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Harrisburg (1043) is 235 points higher than at NSU (808)
  • Incoming Penn State Harrisburg students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at NSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Harrisburg students have a 0.58 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at NSU (2.9)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than NSU (89.5%)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Harrisburg is higher than Norfolk State University (63% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $18,600 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $36,700)
  • Penn State Harrisburg students graduate with a $4,182 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($26,818 vs. $31,000)
  • Penn State Harrisburg graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($277 vs. $320)
  • More Penn State Harrisburg graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 27%)

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