Wheaton College vs. Penn State Harrisburg

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

Wheaton College Penn State Harrisburg
Location Norton, MA Middletown, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,667 4,572
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #180 #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheatoncollege.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wheaton College Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $59,750 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $59,750 $25,854
Room & Board $14,800 $14,978
Avg Net Price $32,863 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $41,665 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 63%

Admission

Wheaton College Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,031 9,925
Admitted 3,204 9,483
Acceptance Rate 79.5% 95.5%
Enrolled % 15.4% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.48 3.48
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/33 24/28
SAT Range 1260/1390 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 Feb 15, 2024

Academics

Wheaton College Penn State Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Psychology (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Ethnic Studies (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Wheaton College Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 77% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $268 $277

Diversity

Wheaton College Penn State Harrisburg
% Men 37% 60%
% Women 63% 40%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 59%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 10% 10%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Wheaton College Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 38% 46%
% Out-of-State 57% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Harrisburg is larger than than Wheaton College based on total student enrollment (4,572 students vs. 1,667 students)

Wheaton College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Wheaton College is 288.3% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg for in-state tuition ($59,750.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 131.1% higher at Wheaton College than Penn State Harrisburg ($59,750.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Wheaton College ($22,096 vs. $32,863)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wheaton College are 1.2% lower than costs at Penn State Harrisburg ($14,800 vs. $14,978)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College than Penn State Harrisburg (98% vs. 63%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wheaton College students is 369.1% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($41,665 vs. $8,882)

Wheaton College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Wheaton 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 Wheaton College .

  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have at the same average high school GPA (3.48) as students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Wheaton College (79.5%)

Wheaton College vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton 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 Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (77% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Harrisburg earn on average $1,600 more per year than Wheaton College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $53,700)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($268 vs. $277)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 69%)

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