ECSU vs. Penn State Altoona

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

ECSU Penn State Altoona
Location Willimantic, CT Altoona, PA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 4,082 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #432 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website easternct.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ECSU Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $6,470 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $9,706 $25,854
Room & Board $16,106 $12,984
Avg Net Price $18,628 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $10,993 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 68%

Admission

ECSU Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,488 7,523
Admitted 4,052 7,204
Acceptance Rate 73.8% 95.8%
Enrolled % 17.7% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/28 21/28
SAT Range 980/1190 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

ECSU Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

ECSU Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 49% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $237 $277

Diversity

ECSU Penn State Altoona
% Men 40% 53%
% Women 60% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 77%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 10% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 9% 1%

Students

ECSU Penn State Altoona
% In-State 87% 59%
% Out-of-State 13% 35%

Campus

ECSU 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

  • Eastern Connecticut State University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (4,082 students vs. 2,577 students)

ECSU vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECSU or Penn State Altoona?

  • Penn State Altoona is 137.8% more expensive to attend than ECSU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $6,470.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 166.4% higher at Penn State Altoona than Eastern Connecticut State University ($25,854.00 vs. $9,706.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Connecticut State University than Penn State Altoona ($18,628 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 24% lower than costs at Eastern Connecticut State University ($12,984 vs. $16,106)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Connecticut State University than Penn State Altoona (100% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Connecticut State University students is 14.8% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($10,993 vs. $9,574)

ECSU vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ECSU 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 ECSU .

  • Accepted freshman ECSU students have at the same average high school GPA (3.4) as students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than ECSU (73.8%)

ECSU vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECSU 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 ECSU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Eastern Connecticut State University (65% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $8,900 more per year than ECSU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $46,400)
  • Eastern Connecticut State University students graduate with a $3,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($23,000 vs. $26,818)
  • ECSU graduates are paying $40 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($237 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 68%)

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