IU East vs. Penn State Altoona

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

 IU East Penn State Altoona
Location Richmond, IN Altoona, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 2,985 2,421
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #876 #618
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iue.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IU East Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $7,492 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $21,356 $26,112
Room & Board $10,244 $13,820
Avg Net Price $9,484 $22,506
Avg Grant Aid $7,602 $8,730
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 64%

Admission

 IU East Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,749 7,134
Admitted 1,246 6,942
Acceptance Rate 71.2% 97.3%
Enrolled % 27% 12.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25 22/27
SAT Range 1010/1220 1050/1260
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 Aug 18, 2026

Academics

 IU East Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

 IU East Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 19% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $32,900 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 40% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $211 $277

Diversity

 IU East Penn State Altoona
% Men 3% 0%
% Women 5% 0%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 77%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 IU East Penn State Altoona
% In-State 79% 59%
% Out-of-State 20% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Indiana University East is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (2,985 students vs. 2,421 students)

IU East vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU East or Penn State Altoona?

  • Penn State Altoona is 105.4% more expensive to attend than IU East for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,492.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.3% higher at Penn State Altoona than Indiana University East ($26,112.00 vs. $21,356.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University East than Penn State Altoona ($9,484 vs. $22,506)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University East are 34.9% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($10,244 vs. $13,820)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University East than Penn State Altoona (82% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 14.8% larger than aid received Indiana University East ($8,730 vs. $7,602)

IU East vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, IU East 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 IU East .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Altoona (993) is 32 points higher than at IU East (961)
  • Incoming Penn State Altoona students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at IU East (21)
  • Accepted freshman IU East students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than IU East (71.2%)

IU East vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU East 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 IU East.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Indiana University East (65% vs. 19%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $22,400 more per year than IU East graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $32,900)
  • Indiana University East students graduate with a $6,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($20,500 vs. $26,818)
  • IU East graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($211 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU East students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 40%)

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