Grove City College vs. Penn State Altoona

Comparable Facts

Compare Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania with Penn State Altoona in Altoona, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Grove City College is larger than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (2,383 students vs. 2,371 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Grove City College is located in Grove City, Pennsylvania (Distant Town setting); Penn State Altoona is in Altoona, PA (Small City setting).
• Grove City College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Altoona is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Grove City College 13:1; Penn State Altoona 13:1.

Grove City College vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Grove City College or Penn State Altoona? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than Grove City College ($21,618 vs. $25,289).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Grove City College are 15.5% lower than at Penn State Altoona ($12,230 vs. $14,474).
• Grove City College is 35.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Altoona (about $5,728 more per year; $21,700.00 vs. $15,972.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 24.2% higher at Penn State Altoona than at Grove City College (about $5,258 more per year; $26,958.00 vs. $21,700.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State Altoona than at Grove City College (78% vs. 65%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 26.1% larger than aid received by Grove City College students ($11,088 vs. $8,794).

Grove City College vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Grove City College or Penn State Altoona? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State Altoona and Grove City College.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Grove City College (1260) is 80 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (1180).
• Incoming Grove City College students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (27 vs. 25 at Penn State Altoona).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Grove City College 1141/1388; Penn State Altoona 1070/1290.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Grove City College 23/31; Penn State Altoona 22/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Grove City College - Test optional; Penn State Altoona - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Grove City College Mar 20, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Grove City College students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4).
• Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than Grove City College (72.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 37.3% at Grove City College vs. 10.3% at Penn State Altoona.

Grove City College vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Grove City College and Penn State Altoona? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.