Houghton College vs. Penn State Altoona

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

Houghton College Penn State Altoona
Location Houghton, NY Altoona, PA
Setting Remote Rural Small City
Enrollment 833 2,577
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #584
Religious Affiliation Wesleyan - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website houghton.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Houghton College Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $15,900 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $15,900 $25,854
Room & Board $10,336 $12,984
Avg Net Price $21,550 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $8,587 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 68%

Admission

Houghton College Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 974 7,523
Admitted 750 7,204
Acceptance Rate 77% 95.8%
Enrolled % 24% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.4
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28
SAT Range 1110/1320 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

Houghton College Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Houghton College Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 68% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $263 $277

Diversity

Houghton College Penn State Altoona
% Men 37% 53%
% Women 63% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 77%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 11% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Houghton College Penn State Altoona
% In-State 58% 59%
% Out-of-State 34% 35%

Campus

Houghton College Penn State Altoona
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Altoona is larger than than Houghton College based on total student enrollment (2,577 students vs. 833 students)

Houghton College vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • Houghton College is 3.3% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($15,900.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 62.6% higher at Penn State Altoona than Houghton College ($25,854.00 vs. $15,900.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than Houghton College ($20,621 vs. $21,550)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Houghton College are 25.6% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($10,336 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Houghton College than Penn State Altoona (99% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 11.5% larger than aid received Houghton College ($9,574 vs. $8,587)

Houghton College vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Houghton College (1110) is 117 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming Houghton College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at Houghton College (3.25)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Houghton College (77%)

Houghton College vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Houghton 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 Houghton College.

  • The graduation rate at Houghton College is higher than Penn State Altoona (68% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $11,000 more per year than Houghton College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $44,300)
  • Houghton College students graduate with a $1,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($25,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Houghton College graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($263 vs. $277)
  • More Houghton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 69%)

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