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NYU Johns Hopkins Case Western Cornell Emory Penn State Berks Penn Duke Georgetown WUSTL Swarthmore Caltech| Carnegie Mellon University | Penn State Altoona | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Location | Pittsburgh, PA | Altoona, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 16,002 | 2,577 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #41 | #584 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | cmu.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $59,864 | $15,388 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $59,864 | $25,854 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,486 | $12,984 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $33,499 | $20,621 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $43,966 | $9,574 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 47% | 68% |
Admission |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 34,261 | 7,523 | ||
| Admitted | 3,873 | 7,204 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 11.3% | 95.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 44.3% | 12.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.89 | 3.4 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | |||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 21/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1490/1570 | 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 | Jan 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State Altoona | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 5:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 65% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $102,700 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 91% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,250 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $271 | $277 |
Diversity |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 56% | 53% | ||
| % Women | 44% | 47% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 32% | 77% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 2% | ||
| % International | 18% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 11% | 59% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 35% | ||
Campus |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Carnegie Mellon University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (16,002 students vs. 2,577 students)
Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Carnegie Mellon or Penn State Altoona?
- Carnegie Mellon University is 289% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($59,864.00 vs. $15,388.00)
- Out of state tuition is 131.5% higher at Carnegie Mellon than Penn State Altoona ($59,864.00 vs. $25,854.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than Carnegie Mellon ($20,621 vs. $33,499)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 27% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($12,984 vs. $16,486)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Altoona than Carnegie Mellon University (68% vs. 47%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 359.2% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($43,966 vs. $9,574)
Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Carnegie Mellon 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 Carnegie Mellon .
- The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 455 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
- Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 11 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
- Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
- Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)
Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Carnegie Mellon 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 Carnegie Mellon.
- The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is higher than Penn State Altoona (87% vs. 65%)
- Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $47,400 more per year than Penn State Altoona graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $55,300)
- Carnegie Mellon University students graduate with a $568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($26,250 vs. $26,818)
- Carnegie Mellon graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($271 vs. $277)
- More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/