Kent State vs. Penn State Altoona

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

Kent State Penn State Altoona
Location Kent, OH Altoona, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 25,854 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #839 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kent.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Kent State Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $12,304 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $21,410 $25,854
Room & Board $12,676 $12,984
Avg Net Price $19,046 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $9,539 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 68%

Admission

Kent State Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,369 7,523
Admitted 17,929 7,204
Acceptance Rate 88% 95.8%
Enrolled % 23.9% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 21/28
SAT Range 990/1220 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Kent State Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Kent State Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 50% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,825 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $267 $277

Diversity

Kent State Penn State Altoona
% Men 37% 53%
% Women 63% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 77%
% Black 9% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 6% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Kent State Penn State Altoona
% In-State 80% 59%
% Out-of-State 18% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Kent State University at Kent is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (25,854 students vs. 2,577 students)

Kent State vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Altoona is 25.1% more expensive to attend than Kent State for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $12,304.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.8% higher at Penn State Altoona than Kent State University at Kent ($25,854.00 vs. $21,410.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kent State University at Kent than Penn State Altoona ($19,046 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Kent State University at Kent are 2.4% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($12,676 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kent State University at Kent than Penn State Altoona (96% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 0.4% larger than aid received Kent State University at Kent ($9,574 vs. $9,539)

Kent State vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Kent State 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 Kent State .

  • The average SAT score at Kent State University at Kent (1067) is 74 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming Kent State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman Kent State students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Kent State (88%)

Kent State vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kent State 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 Kent State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Kent State University at Kent (65% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $15,000 more per year than Kent State graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $40,300)
  • Kent State University at Kent students graduate with a $993 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($25,825 vs. $26,818)
  • Kent State graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($267 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kent State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 46%)

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