Penn State Harrisburg vs. Shepherd University

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

 Penn State Harrisburg Shepherd University
Location Middletown, PA Shepherdstown, WV
Setting Large Suburban Town Fringe
Enrollment 4,572 3,235
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #613 #866
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu shepherd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Harrisburg Shepherd University
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $6,288
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $15,774
Room & Board $14,978 $10,987
Avg Net Price $22,096 $9,827
Avg Grant Aid $8,882 $7,328
% Receiving Grant Aid 63% 93%

Admission

 Penn State Harrisburg Shepherd University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,925 1,690
Admitted 9,483 1,620
Acceptance Rate 95.5% 95.9%
Enrolled % 12.6% 34.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/28 19/24
SAT Range 1100/1310 930/1170
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 Harrisburg Shepherd University
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Harrisburg Shepherd University
Graduation Rate 63% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $41,500
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $22,223
Median Loan Payment $277 $229

Diversity

 Penn State Harrisburg Shepherd University
% Men 60% 37%
% Women 40% 63%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 82%
% Black 11% 10%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 10% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 Penn State Harrisburg Shepherd University
% In-State 46% 64%
% Out-of-State 27% 35%

Campus

 Penn State Harrisburg Shepherd 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

  • Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than Shepherd University based on total student enrollment (4,572 students vs. 3,235 students)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Shepherd University Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Harrisburg is 144.7% more expensive to attend than Shepherd University for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $6,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 63.9% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than Shepherd University ($25,854.00 vs. $15,774.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shepherd University than Penn State Harrisburg ($9,827 vs. $22,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shepherd University are 36.3% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($10,987 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shepherd University than Penn State Harrisburg (93% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Harrisburg students is 21.2% larger than aid received Shepherd University ($8,882 vs. $7,328)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Shepherd University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Harrisburg (1043) is 48 points higher than at Shepherd University (995)
  • Incoming Penn State Harrisburg students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Shepherd University (22)
  • Accepted freshman Shepherd University students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Shepherd University has a higher acceptance rate (95.9%) than Penn State Harrisburg (95.5%)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Shepherd University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Harrisburg or Shepherd 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 Shepherd University and Penn State Harrisburg.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Harrisburg is higher than Shepherd University (63% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $13,800 more per year than Shepherd University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $41,500)
  • Shepherd University students graduate with a $4,595 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($22,223 vs. $26,818)
  • Shepherd University graduates are paying $48 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($229 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Harrisburg graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shepherd University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 53%)

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