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Penn State Berks Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus Penn State Harrisburg PennWest Clarion Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Penn State Abington University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Penn State Erie-Behrend College Penn State Penn State Schuylkill Robert Morris University Concord University| PennWest California | Penn State Altoona | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
PennWest California | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Location | California, PA | Altoona, PA | ||
| Setting | Town Fringe | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 6,509 | 2,577 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #1033 | #584 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | calu.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
PennWest California | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $7,716 | $15,388 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $11,574 | $25,854 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,416 | $12,984 | ||
| Avg Net Price | - | $20,621 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $0 | $9,574 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 0% | 68% |
Admission |
PennWest California | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | - | 7,523 | ||
| Admitted | - | 7,204 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95.8% | |||
| Enrolled % | 12.6% | |||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.31 | 3.4 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 18/24 | 21/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 940/1150 | 1050/1250 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | |||
| Application Deadline | Aug 22, 2025 |
Academics |
PennWest California | Penn State Altoona | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
PennWest California | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Graduation Rate | 53% | 65% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $42,500 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 64% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $277 |
Diversity |
PennWest California | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 39% | 53% | ||
| % Women | 61% | 47% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 77% | ||
| % Black | 12% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 1% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
PennWest California | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 86% | 59% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 13% | 35% | ||
Campus |
PennWest California | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- PennWest California is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 2,577 students)
PennWest California vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or Penn State Altoona?
- Penn State Altoona is 99.4% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,716.00)
- Out of state tuition is 123.4% higher at Penn State Altoona than PennWest California ($25,854.00 vs. $11,574.00)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 24.7% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($10,416 vs. $12,984)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Altoona than PennWest California (68% vs. 0%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($9,574 vs. $0)
Which college is harder to get into, PennWest California 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 PennWest California .
- The average SAT score at Penn State Altoona (993) is 71 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
- Incoming Penn State Altoona students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at PennWest California (20)
- Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at PennWest California (3.31)
PennWest California vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, PennWest California 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 PennWest California.
- The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than PennWest California (65% vs. 53%)
- Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $12,800 more per year than PennWest California graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $42,500)
- PennWest California students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
- PennWest California graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
- More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PennWest California students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/