Buffalo State College vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

 Buffalo State College Penn State Harrisburg
Location Buffalo, NY Middletown, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,445 4,572
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #665 #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website buffalostate.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Buffalo State College Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $25,854
Room & Board $14,386 $14,978
Avg Net Price $13,812 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $10,756 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 63%

Admission

 Buffalo State College Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,292 9,925
Admitted 10,569 9,483
Acceptance Rate 86% 95.5%
Enrolled % 11.8% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 2.84 3.48
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/28
SAT Range 940/1178 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

Academics

 Buffalo State College Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (26%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

 Buffalo State College Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 47% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,409 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $221 $277

Diversity

 Buffalo State College Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 41% 60%
% Women 59% 40%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 51% 59%
% Black 28% 11%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 10%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

 Buffalo State College Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 96% 46%
% Out-of-State 3% 27%

Campus

 Buffalo State College 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

  • SUNY College at Buffalo is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (6,445 students vs. 4,572 students)

Buffalo State College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Harrisburg is 117.7% more expensive to attend than Buffalo State College for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.3% higher at Penn State Harrisburg than SUNY College at Buffalo ($25,854.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College at Buffalo than Penn State Harrisburg ($13,812 vs. $22,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY College at Buffalo are 4.1% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($14,386 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY College at Buffalo than Penn State Harrisburg (92% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY College at Buffalo students is 21.1% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($10,756 vs. $8,882)

Buffalo State College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Buffalo State College 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 Buffalo State College .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Harrisburg (1043) is 142 points higher than at Buffalo State College (901)
  • Incoming Penn State Harrisburg students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Buffalo State College (19)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Harrisburg students have a 0.64 point higher average high school GPA (3.48) than students at Buffalo State College (2.84)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Buffalo State College (86%)

Buffalo State College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Buffalo State College 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 Buffalo State College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Harrisburg is higher than SUNY College at Buffalo (63% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $14,600 more per year than Buffalo State College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $40,700)
  • SUNY College at Buffalo students graduate with a $5,409 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($21,409 vs. $26,818)
  • Buffalo State College graduates are paying $56 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($221 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Harrisburg graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Buffalo State College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 59%)

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