Gettysburg College vs. Penn State Altoona

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

Gettysburg College Penn State Altoona
Location Gettysburg, PA Altoona, PA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 2,854 2,577
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #75 #584
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gettysburg.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Gettysburg College Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $61,760 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $61,760 $25,854
Room & Board $14,930 $12,984
Avg Net Price $33,882 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $43,239 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 68%

Admission

Gettysburg College Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,796 7,523
Admitted 3,264 7,204
Acceptance Rate 56.3% 95.8%
Enrolled % 19.7% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA - 3.4
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/32 21/28
SAT Range 1350/1440 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 15, 2025

Academics

Gettysburg College Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Business (11%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Gettysburg College Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 85% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,900 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $227 $277

Diversity

Gettysburg College Penn State Altoona
% Men 48% 53%
% Women 52% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 77%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Gettysburg College Penn State Altoona
% In-State 25% 59%
% Out-of-State 63% 35%

Campus

Gettysburg College 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

  • Gettysburg College is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (2,854 students vs. 2,577 students)

Gettysburg College vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Gettysburg College or Penn State Altoona?

  • Gettysburg College is 301.4% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($61,760.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 138.9% higher at Gettysburg College than Penn State Altoona ($61,760.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than Gettysburg College ($20,621 vs. $33,882)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 15% lower than costs at Gettysburg College ($12,984 vs. $14,930)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Gettysburg College than Penn State Altoona (95% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Gettysburg College students is 351.6% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($43,239 vs. $9,574)

Gettysburg College vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Gettysburg College 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 Gettysburg College .

  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Gettysburg College (56.3%)

Gettysburg College vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Gettysburg College 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 Gettysburg College.

  • The graduation rate at Gettysburg College is higher than Penn State Altoona (85% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Gettysburg College earn on average $5,600 more per year than Penn State Altoona graduates after ten years. ($60,900 vs. $55,300)
  • Gettysburg College students graduate with a $4,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($22,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Gettysburg College graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($227 vs. $277)
  • More Gettysburg College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 69%)

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