Holy Family University vs Alvernia University

Holy Family University and Alvernia University, both located in Pennsylvania, offer distinct educational experiences. Holy Family, a private Catholic university, boasts a higher acceptance rate (85%) compared to Alvernia's 75%. While Alvernia has a slightly larger student body, Holy Family maintains a smaller average class size, fostering a more personalized learning environment. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, with popular majors including Business, Nursing, and Education. However, Alvernia stands out with its strong focus on healthcare-related fields, while Holy Family excels in liberal arts and social sciences. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more key differences, including graduation rates, student demographics, and available financial aid options, to help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.
Alvernia University logo

Alvernia University

Holy Family University logo

Holy Family University

Overview

Location Reading, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Campus setting City: Small City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 73.0% 82.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Catholic Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 57.8% 77.0%
Application fees $50 $25
SAT range N/A 930 - 1220
ACT range N/A 18 - 24
Students submitting SAT score 19.0%
Students submitting ACT score 1.0%
Total number of applicants 5,371 1,946
Total number of admissions given out 3,103 1,499
Admitted students who chose to enroll 403 355
Yield rate 13.0% 23.7%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $49,480 $44,660
Average net price $24,917 $11,935
Tuition $37,780 $30,590
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,930

Meal plan: $6,750
Room/dormitory: $8,700

Meal plan: $7,300
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

95.0%
Average amount $26,065
100.0%
Average amount $23,364
Students receiving federal student loan 94.0%
Average amount $4,652
68.0%
Average amount $5,324
Students taking out private loans 20.0%
Average amount $18,154
12.0%
Average amount $9,324

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,032
Men 34.0% Women 66.0%
2,171
Men 24.4% Women 75.6%
Graduate students 504
Men 31.0% Women 69.0%
840
Men 16.2% Women 83.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students 27.8% 11.0%
International students 4.0% 0.2%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,079 315
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Pennsylvania New Jersey Maryland New Mexico Virginia Pennsylvania New Jersey Connecticut Florida New York

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Psychology
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Psychology
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 13:1 13:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 65.3% 56.2%
Dropout rate 6.2% 16.3%
Transferred out 27.9% 25.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,956
  • Year 2: $64,553
  • Year 3: $70,009
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,528
  • Year 2: $63,600
  • Year 3: $69,944
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,042
  • Year 2: $60,878
  • Year 3: $68,491
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,259
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $54,161
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,308
  • Year 2: $45,500
  • Year 3: $50,326
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,968
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $47,691
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,786
  • Year 2: $39,832
  • Year 3: $46,290
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,572
  • Year 2: $31,941
  • Year 3: $42,891
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,208
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $40,464
Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,850
  • Year 2: $35,060
  • Year 3: $39,539
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $104,551
  • Year 2: $101,406
  • Year 3: $110,705
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,409
  • Year 2: $86,867
  • Year 3: $97,763
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,818
  • Year 2: $71,388
  • Year 3: $78,645
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,287
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $59,600
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,438
  • Year 2: $55,840
  • Year 3: $58,992
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,494
  • Year 2: $50,677
  • Year 3: $53,929
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,473
  • Year 2: $46,790
  • Year 3: $49,504
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,782
  • Year 2: $44,888
  • Year 3: $48,231
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,244
  • Year 2: $33,637
  • Year 3: $48,037
Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,690
  • Year 2: $46,087
  • Year 3: $46,953

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