Salem State University vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Salem State University Penn State Harrisburg
Location Salem, MA Middletown, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,539 4,572
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #733 #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website salemstate.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Salem State University Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $910 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $25,854
Room & Board $14,954 $14,978
Avg Net Price $19,277 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $8,562 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 63%

Admission

Salem State University Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,093 9,925
Admitted 4,719 9,483
Acceptance Rate 92.7% 95.5%
Enrolled % 18.3% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 3.48
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/28
SAT Range 986/1210 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 Jun 1, 2024

Academics

Salem State University Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Salem State University Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 42% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $248 $277

Diversity

Salem State University Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 31% 60%
% Women 69% 40%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 68% 59%
% Black 9% 11%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Salem State University Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 90% 46%
% Out-of-State 8% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Salem State University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (6,539 students vs. 4,572 students)

Salem State University vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Harrisburg is 1,591% more expensive to attend than Salem State University for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 266.7% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than Salem State University ($25,854.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Salem State University than Penn State Harrisburg ($19,277 vs. $22,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Salem State University are 0.2% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($14,954 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Salem State University than Penn State Harrisburg (99% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Harrisburg students is 3.7% larger than aid received Salem State University ($8,882 vs. $8,562)

Salem State University vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Penn State Harrisburg students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at Salem State University (3.17)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Salem State University (92.7%)

Salem State University vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Harrisburg is higher than Salem State University (63% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $10,900 more per year than Salem State University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $44,400)
  • Salem State University students graduate with a $2,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($24,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Salem State University graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($248 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Harrisburg graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Salem State University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 63%)

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