Penn State Harrisburg vs. UW-Eau Claire

Should I go to Penn State Harrisburg or University of Wisconsin Eau Claire? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Harrisburg or UW-Eau Claire 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. 

UW-La Crosse Penn State Erie-Behrend College Penn State Altoona JMU UW-Stout University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Penn State UWM Penn State York Penn State Abington Rowan University University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Penn State Harrisburg vs. University of Wisconsin Eau Claire comparison
Penn State Harrisburg University of Wisconsin Eau Claire College 3 College 4
Penn State Harrisburg University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Penn State Harrisburg UW-Eau Claire
Location Middletown, PA Eau Claire, WI
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 4,572 10,104
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #613 #565
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu uwec.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Harrisburg UW-Eau Claire
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $7,361
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $16,074
Room & Board $14,978 $9,014
Avg Net Price $22,096 $15,000
Avg Grant Aid $8,882 $4,251
% Receiving Grant Aid 63% 76%

Admission

 Penn State Harrisburg UW-Eau Claire
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,925 10,403
Admitted 9,483 7,971
Acceptance Rate 95.5% 76.6%
Enrolled % 12.6% 26.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.59
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/28 21/26
SAT Range 1100/1310
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 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

 Penn State Harrisburg UW-Eau Claire
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Harrisburg UW-Eau Claire
Graduation Rate 63% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $47,900
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $277 $240

Diversity

 Penn State Harrisburg UW-Eau Claire
% Men 60% 40%
% Women 40% 60%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 89%
% Black 11% 1%
% Hispanic 6% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 10% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 Penn State Harrisburg UW-Eau Claire
% In-State 46% 64%
% Out-of-State 27% 35%

Campus

 Penn State Harrisburg UW-Eau Claire
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

  • University of Wisconsin Eau Claire is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (10,104 students vs. 4,572 students)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. UW-Eau Claire Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Harrisburg or UW-Eau Claire?

  • Penn State Harrisburg is 109% more expensive to attend than UW-Eau Claire for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,361.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 60.8% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than University of Wisconsin Eau Claire ($25,854.00 vs. $16,074.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire than Penn State Harrisburg ($15,000 vs. $22,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire are 66.2% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($9,014 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire than Penn State Harrisburg (76% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Harrisburg students is 108.9% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Eau Claire ($8,882 vs. $4,251)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. UW-Eau Claire Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (1110) is 67 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming UW-Eau Claire students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman UW-Eau Claire students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than UW-Eau Claire (76.6%)

Penn State Harrisburg vs. UW-Eau Claire Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Harrisburg or UW-Eau Claire? 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 UW-Eau Claire and Penn State Harrisburg.

  • The graduation rate at UW-Eau Claire is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (65% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $7,400 more per year than UW-Eau Claire graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $47,900)
  • University of Wisconsin Eau Claire students graduate with a $3,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,818)
  • UW-Eau Claire graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($240 vs. $277)
  • More UW-Eau Claire graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 69%)

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