Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) vs Central Penn College

Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) and Central Penn College (CPC) are two distinct institutions of higher learning located in Pennsylvania, each offering unique educational opportunities. HACC, a public community college, boasts an open admissions policy, making it accessible to a wide range of students. In contrast, CPC, a private, four-year college, has a more selective admissions process. While HACC excels in providing affordable associate degrees and certificates, CPC specializes in bachelor's and master's degrees, catering to students seeking career-focused programs. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details regarding acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, graduation rates, and more, empowering you to make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and goals.
Central Penn College logo

Central Penn College

Harrisburg Area Community College logo

Harrisburg Area Community College

Overview

Location Summerdale, Pennsylvania Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Small
College type 4 year 2 year
Control/business model Private (For Profit) Public
Calendar system Quarter Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate
Students retention rate 51.0% 56.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 88.7% Open Admission
Application fees
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 247
Total number of admissions given out 219
Admitted students who chose to enroll 81
Yield rate 37.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A Not required
High school GPA Required N/A
Recommendation letters Not required N/A
High school transcript Not required N/A
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required N/A

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $27,164
In state: $23,659

Out of state: $25,182
Average net price $17,061 $12,147
Tuition $17,784
In state: $6,795

Out of state: $8,168
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,346

Meal plan: $2,070
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

96.0%
Average amount $8,947
95.0%
Average amount $4,168
Students receiving federal student loan 84.0%
Average amount $5,648
45.0%
Average amount $4,826
Students taking out private loans 12.0%
Average amount $10,517
3.0%
Average amount $7,267

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 872
Men 32.3% Women 67.7%
14,023
Men 32.8% Women 67.2%
Graduate students 19
Men 15.8% Women 84.2%
N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 0.8%
International students N/A 1.6%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Small
Dormitory capacity 396 N/A
First year students are required to live on campus? No N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Pennsylvania Maryland New Jersey Delaware Florida

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Legal Profession
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Liberal Arts
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Education
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 44.4% 15.5%
Dropout rate 28.6% 50.2%
Transferred out 25.4% 19.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,064
  • Year 2: $46,673
  • Year 3: $44,006
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,533
  • Year 2: $36,560
  • Year 3: $38,017
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,625
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Legal Professions and Studies, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,472
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,291
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,343
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,515
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,046
  • Year 2: $59,527
  • Year 3: $62,466
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,044
  • Year 2: $55,061
  • Year 3: $57,893
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,129
  • Year 2: $53,839
  • Year 3: $54,010
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,142
  • Year 2: $49,423
  • Year 3: $53,711
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas)
  • Year 1: $43,359
  • Year 2: $44,102
  • Year 3: $48,157
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,733
  • Year 2: $40,512
  • Year 3: $45,275
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $39,729
  • Year 3: $42,315
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,075
  • Year 2: $37,208
  • Year 3: $42,066
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,314
  • Year 2: $32,747
  • Year 3: $39,836
Legal Support Services (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,324
  • Year 2: $34,348
  • Year 3: $38,084

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