SUNY Empire State College vs. Penn State Berks

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

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Berks
Location Saratoga Springs, NY Reading, PA
Setting Small Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 9,407 2,077
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #657
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website esc.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Berks
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $25,854
Room & Board $11,600 $14,334
Avg Net Price $9,704 $21,728
Avg Grant Aid $9,343 $8,528
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 66%

Admission

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

Academics

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Berks
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (40%)
  • Human Services (20%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Berks
Graduation Rate 19% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $240 $277

Diversity

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Berks
% Men 33% 59%
% Women 67% 41%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 60% 68%
% Black 16% 9%
% Hispanic 12% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 5% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Berks
% In-State 86% 64%
% Out-of-State 7% 30%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY Empire State College is larger than than Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (9,407 students vs. 2,077 students)

SUNY Empire State College vs. Penn State Berks Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY Empire State College or Penn State Berks?

  • Penn State Berks is 117.7% more expensive to attend than SUNY Empire State College for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.3% higher at Penn State Berks than SUNY Empire State College ($25,854.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY Empire State College than Penn State Berks ($9,704 vs. $21,728)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY Empire State College are 23.6% lower than costs at Penn State Berks ($11,600 vs. $14,334)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY Empire State College than Penn State Berks (80% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY Empire State College students is 9.6% larger than aid received Penn State Berks ($9,343 vs. $8,528)

Which college is harder to get into, SUNY Empire State College 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 SUNY Empire State College .

SUNY Empire State College vs. Penn State Berks Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY Empire State College 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 SUNY Empire State College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Berks is higher than SUNY Empire State College (55% vs. 19%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Berks earn on average $9,300 more per year than SUNY Empire State College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $46,000)
  • SUNY Empire State College students graduate with a $3,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Berks graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,818)
  • SUNY Empire State College 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 SUNY Empire State College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 44%)

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