Penn State Harrisburg vs. Mary Washington College

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

Penn State Harrisburg Mary Washington College
Location Middletown, PA Fredericksburg, VA
Setting Large Suburban Small Suburban
Enrollment 4,572 3,757
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #613 #283
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu umw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Harrisburg Mary Washington College
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $8,938
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $25,858
Room & Board $14,978 $12,090
Avg Net Price $22,096 $21,863
Avg Grant Aid $8,882 $9,046
% Receiving Grant Aid 63% 93%

Admission

Penn State Harrisburg Mary Washington College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,925 4,709
Admitted 9,483 4,040
Acceptance Rate 95.5% 85.8%
Enrolled % 12.6% 18.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.71
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/28 25/30
SAT Range 1100/1310 1170/1340
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 Mary Washington College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Business (12%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Penn State Harrisburg Mary Washington College
Graduation Rate 63% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $55,500
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $277 $222

Diversity

Penn State Harrisburg Mary Washington College
% Men 60% 37%
% Women 40% 63%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 70%
% Black 11% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 10% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 6%

Students

Penn State Harrisburg Mary Washington College
% In-State 46% 87%
% Out-of-State 27% 10%

Campus

Penn State Harrisburg Mary Washington College
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 Mary Washington College based on total student enrollment (4,572 students vs. 3,757 students)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Mary Washington College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Harrisburg or Mary Washington College?

  • Penn State Harrisburg is 72.2% more expensive to attend than Mary Washington College for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $8,938.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0% higher at Mary Washington College than Penn State Harrisburg ($25,858.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Mary Washington than Penn State Harrisburg ($21,863 vs. $22,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Mary Washington are 23.9% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($12,090 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Mary Washington than Penn State Harrisburg (93% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Mary Washington students is 1.8% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($9,046 vs. $8,882)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Mary Washington College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Mary Washington (1110) is 67 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Mary Washington College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Mary Washington College students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.71) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Mary Washington College (85.8%)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. Mary Washington College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Harrisburg or Mary Washington College? 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 Mary Washington College and Penn State Harrisburg.

  • The graduation rate at Mary Washington College is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (71% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of Mary Washington earn on average $200 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg graduates after ten years. ($55,500 vs. $55,300)
  • University of Mary Washington students graduate with a $5,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Mary Washington College graduates are paying $55 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($222 vs. $277)
  • More Mary Washington College 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/