SCSU vs. Penn State Berks

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

SCSU Penn State Berks
Location New Haven, CT Reading, PA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 8,889 2,077
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #657
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website southernct.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SCSU Penn State Berks
Tuition (In State) $6,470 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $19,358 $25,854
Room & Board $14,076 $14,334
Avg Net Price $18,712 $21,728
Avg Grant Aid $7,308 $8,528
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 66%

Admission

SCSU Penn State Berks
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,316 5,605
Admitted 6,896 5,453
Acceptance Rate 82.9% 97.3%
Enrolled % 16% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.39
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/28
SAT Range 1090/1290
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

SCSU Penn State Berks
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

SCSU Penn State Berks
Graduation Rate 44% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $240 $277

Diversity

SCSU Penn State Berks
% Men 35% 59%
% Women 65% 41%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 56% 68%
% Black 18% 9%
% Hispanic 10% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 10% 1%

Students

SCSU Penn State Berks
% In-State 92% 64%
% Out-of-State 7% 30%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Southern Connecticut State University is larger than than Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (8,889 students vs. 2,077 students)

SCSU vs. Penn State Berks Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SCSU or Penn State Berks?

  • Penn State Berks is 137.8% more expensive to attend than SCSU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $6,470.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.6% higher at Penn State Berks than Southern Connecticut State University ($25,854.00 vs. $19,358.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southern Connecticut State University than Penn State Berks ($18,712 vs. $21,728)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Connecticut State University are 1.8% lower than costs at Penn State Berks ($14,076 vs. $14,334)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Connecticut State University than Penn State Berks (81% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Berks students is 16.7% larger than aid received Southern Connecticut State University ($8,528 vs. $7,308)

SCSU vs. Penn State Berks Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Berks (978) is 60 points higher than at SCSU (918)
  • Incoming Penn State Berks students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at SCSU (20)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Berks students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at SCSU (3.2)
  • Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than SCSU (82.9%)

SCSU vs. Penn State Berks Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SCSU or Penn State Berks? 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 Berks and SCSU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Berks is higher than Southern Connecticut State University (55% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Berks earn on average $9,500 more per year than SCSU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $45,800)
  • Southern Connecticut State University students graduate with a $3,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Berks graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,818)
  • SCSU graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Berks graduates. ($240 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Berks graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 62%)

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