Caldwell University vs. Penn State Altoona

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

 Caldwell University Penn State Altoona
Location Caldwell, NJ Altoona, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 2,028 2,577
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #505 #584
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website caldwell.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Caldwell University Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $35,950 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $35,950 $25,854
Room & Board $13,399 $12,984
Avg Net Price $20,612 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $30,231 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 68%

Admission

 Caldwell University Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,649 7,523
Admitted 4,413 7,204
Acceptance Rate 66.4% 95.8%
Enrolled % 10.1% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 21/28
SAT Range 1010/1320 1050/1250
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

Academics

 Caldwell University Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (19%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

 Caldwell University Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 58% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,750 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $266 $277

Diversity

 Caldwell University Penn State Altoona
% Men 34% 53%
% Women 66% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 39% 77%
% Black 15% 7%
% Hispanic 18% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 6% 5%
% Unknown Race 18% 1%

Students

 Caldwell University Penn State Altoona
% In-State 71% 59%
% Out-of-State 7% 35%

Campus

 Caldwell University Penn State Altoona
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Altoona is larger than than Caldwell University based on total student enrollment (2,577 students vs. 2,028 students)

Caldwell University vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Caldwell University or Penn State Altoona?

  • Caldwell University is 133.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($35,950.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.1% higher at Caldwell University than Penn State Altoona ($35,950.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Caldwell University than Penn State Altoona ($20,612 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 3.2% lower than costs at Caldwell University ($12,984 vs. $13,399)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Caldwell University than Penn State Altoona (98% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Caldwell University students is 215.8% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($30,231 vs. $9,574)

Caldwell University vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Altoona (993) is 24 points higher than at Caldwell University (969)
  • Incoming Penn State Altoona students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Caldwell University (21)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at Caldwell University (3.3)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Caldwell University (66.4%)

Caldwell University vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Caldwell University or Penn State Altoona? 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 Altoona and Caldwell University.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Caldwell University (65% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $8,500 more per year than Caldwell University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $46,800)
  • Caldwell University students graduate with a $1,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($25,750 vs. $26,818)
  • Caldwell University graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($266 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Caldwell University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 50%)

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