PennWest California vs. Penn State Mont Alto

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

PennWest California Penn State Mont Alto
Location California, PA Mont Alto, PA
Setting Town Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 6,509 670
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1033
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California Penn State Mont Alto
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $23,086
Room & Board $10,416 $12,254
Avg Net Price - $19,838
Avg Grant Aid $0 $9,124
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 79%

Admission

PennWest California Penn State Mont Alto
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 678
Admitted - 619
Acceptance Rate 91.3%
Enrolled % 30.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Very Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 940/1150 1020/1230
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

PennWest California Penn State Mont Alto
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Health Professions (60%)
  • Work and Family Studies (9%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (9%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)

Outcomes

PennWest California Penn State Mont Alto
Graduation Rate 53% 52%
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 Mont Alto
% Men 39% 41%
% Women 61% 59%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 80%
% Black 12% 8%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

PennWest California Penn State Mont Alto
% In-State 86% 76%
% Out-of-State 13% 24%

Campus

PennWest California Penn State Mont Alto
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 Mont Alto based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 670 students)

PennWest California vs. Penn State Mont Alto Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Mont Alto is 79.2% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 99.5% higher at Penn State Mont Alto than PennWest California ($23,086.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 17.6% lower than costs at Penn State Mont Alto ($10,416 vs. $12,254)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Mont Alto than PennWest California (79% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Mont Alto students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($9,124 vs. $0)

Which college is harder to get into, PennWest California 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 PennWest California .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Mont Alto (955) is 33 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming Penn State Mont Alto students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at PennWest California (20)

PennWest California vs. Penn State Mont Alto Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California 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 PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than Penn State Mont Alto (53% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Mont Alto 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 Mont Alto graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
  • PennWest California graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Mont Alto graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Mont Alto 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/