SUNY Empire State College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College

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

Overview

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Location Saratoga Springs, NY Erie, PA
Setting Small Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 9,407 3,295
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #503
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website esc.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $25,854
Room & Board $11,600 $12,984
Avg Net Price $9,704 $21,968
Avg Grant Aid $9,343 $9,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 71%

Admission

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 4,363
Admitted - 4,164
Acceptance Rate 95.4%
Enrolled % 19.9%
Avg High School GPA - 3.49
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30
SAT Range 1095/1330
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (40%)
  • Human Services (20%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
Graduation Rate 19% 66%
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 Erie-Behrend College
% Men 33% 64%
% Women 67% 36%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 60% 79%
% Black 16% 4%
% Hispanic 12% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 5% 9%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Erie-Behrend College
% In-State 86% 74%
% Out-of-State 7% 19%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY Empire State College is larger than than Penn State Erie-Behrend College based on total student enrollment (9,407 students vs. 3,295 students)

SUNY Empire State College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY Empire State College or Penn State Erie-Behrend College?

  • Penn State Erie Behrend College 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 Erie-Behrend College 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 Erie-Behrend College ($9,704 vs. $21,968)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY Empire State College are 11.9% lower than costs at Penn State Erie Behrend College ($11,600 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY Empire State College than Penn State Erie Behrend College (80% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Erie Behrend College students is 3.7% larger than aid received SUNY Empire State College ($9,685 vs. $9,343)

Which college is harder to get into, SUNY Empire State College or Penn State Erie-Behrend College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State Erie-Behrend College or SUNY Empire State College .

SUNY Empire State College vs. Penn State Erie-Behrend College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY Empire State College or Penn State Erie-Behrend College? 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 Erie-Behrend College and SUNY Empire State College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Erie-Behrend College is higher than SUNY Empire State College (66% vs. 19%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Erie Behrend College 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 Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,818)
  • SUNY Empire State College graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates. ($240 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Erie-Behrend College 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/