ASU vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny

Should I go to Appalachian State University or Penn State Greater Allegheny? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ASU or Penn State Greater Allegheny 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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Appalachian State University vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny comparison
Appalachian State University Penn State Greater Allegheny College 3 College 4
Appalachian State University
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Overview

 ASU Penn State Greater Allegheny
Location Boone, NC McKeesport, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 20,436 363
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #594
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website appstate.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ASU Penn State Greater Allegheny
Tuition (In State) $4,242 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $20,246 $23,086
Room & Board $11,582 $12,254
Avg Net Price $13,084 $19,505
Avg Grant Aid $7,443 $10,269
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 85%

Admission

 ASU Penn State Greater Allegheny
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,255 672
Admitted 18,489 589
Acceptance Rate 83.1% 87.6%
Enrolled % 21.2% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.96 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27
SAT Range 1100/1270 1040/1300
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 1, 2025

Academics

 ASU Penn State Greater Allegheny
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (38%)
  • Psychology (35%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (2%)

Outcomes

 ASU Penn State Greater Allegheny
Graduation Rate 65% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,600 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $211 $277

Diversity

 ASU Penn State Greater Allegheny
% Men 42% 61%
% Women 58% 39%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 85% 61%
% Black 3% 19%
% Hispanic 4% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 ASU Penn State Greater Allegheny
% In-State 87% 68%
% Out-of-State 13% 30%

Campus

 ASU Penn State Greater Allegheny
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Appalachian State University is larger than than Penn State Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (20,436 students vs. 363 students)

ASU vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ASU or Penn State Greater Allegheny?

  • Penn State Greater Allegheny is 225.9% more expensive to attend than ASU for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $4,242.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14% higher at Penn State Greater Allegheny than Appalachian State University ($23,086.00 vs. $20,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Appalachian State University than Penn State Greater Allegheny ($13,084 vs. $19,505)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Appalachian State University are 5.8% lower than costs at Penn State Greater Allegheny ($11,582 vs. $12,254)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Greater Allegheny than Appalachian State University (85% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Greater Allegheny students is 38% larger than aid received Appalachian State University ($10,269 vs. $7,443)

ASU vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ASU or Penn State Greater Allegheny? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State Greater Allegheny or ASU .

  • The average SAT score at Appalachian State University (1157) is 214 points higher than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (943)
  • Incoming ASU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Penn State Greater Allegheny (23)
  • Penn State Greater Allegheny has a higher acceptance rate (87.6%) than ASU (83.1%)

ASU vs. Penn State Greater Allegheny Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ASU or Penn State Greater Allegheny? 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 Greater Allegheny and ASU.

  • The graduation rate at ASU is higher than Penn State Greater Allegheny (65% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Greater Allegheny earn on average $13,700 more per year than ASU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $41,600)
  • Appalachian State University students graduate with a $6,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates. ($20,500 vs. $26,818)
  • ASU graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates. ($211 vs. $277)
  • More ASU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Greater Allegheny students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)

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