ASU vs. Penn State Mont Alto

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

 ASU Penn State Mont Alto
Location Boone, NC Mont Alto, PA
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 21,253 588
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #597
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website appstate.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ASU Penn State Mont Alto
Tuition (In State) $4,242 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $21,238 $23,316
Room & Board $12,258 $12,022
Avg Net Price $14,712 $20,294
Avg Grant Aid $7,677 $9,223
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 81%

Admission

 ASU Penn State Mont Alto
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 24,001 608
Admitted 21,275 549
Acceptance Rate 88.6% 90.3%
Enrolled % 19.9% 24.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.96 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27
SAT Range 1100/1280 1080/1230
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, 2026

Academics

 ASU Penn State Mont Alto
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (60%)
  • Work and Family Studies (9%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (9%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)

Outcomes

 ASU Penn State Mont Alto
Graduation Rate 65% 52%
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 Mont Alto
% Men 3% 0%
% Women 6% 0%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 85% 80%
% Black 3% 8%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 ASU Penn State Mont Alto
% In-State 87% 76%
% Out-of-State 13% 24%

Campus

 ASU Penn State Mont Alto
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 Mont Alto based on total student enrollment (21,253 students vs. 588 students)

ASU vs. Penn State Mont Alto Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ASU or Penn State Mont Alto?

  • Penn State Mont Alto 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 9.8% higher at Penn State Mont Alto than Appalachian State University ($23,316.00 vs. $21,238.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Appalachian State University than Penn State Mont Alto ($14,712 vs. $20,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Mont Alto are 2% lower than costs at Appalachian State University ($12,022 vs. $12,258)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Mont Alto than Appalachian State University (81% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Mont Alto students is 20.1% larger than aid received Appalachian State University ($9,223 vs. $7,677)

ASU vs. Penn State Mont Alto Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Appalachian State University (1157) is 202 points higher than at Penn State Mont Alto (955)
  • Incoming ASU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Penn State Mont Alto (21)
  • Penn State Mont Alto has a higher acceptance rate (90.3%) than ASU (88.6%)

ASU vs. Penn State Mont Alto Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ASU or Penn State Mont Alto? 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 Mont Alto and ASU.

  • The graduation rate at ASU is higher than Penn State Mont Alto (65% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Mont Alto 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 Mont Alto graduates. ($20,500 vs. $26,818)
  • ASU graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Mont Alto graduates. ($211 vs. $277)
  • More ASU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Mont Alto 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/