Lees-McRae College vs. Penn State Mont Alto

Comparable Facts

Compare Lees McRae College in Banner Elk, NC with Penn State Mont Alto in Mont Alto, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Lees McRae College is larger than Penn State Mont Alto based on total student enrollment (910 students vs. 582 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Lees McRae College is located in Banner Elk, NC (Distant Rural setting); Penn State Mont Alto is in Mont Alto, PA (Distant Town setting).
• Lees McRae College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Mont Alto is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Lees McRae College 11:1; Penn State Mont Alto 10:1.

Lees-McRae College vs. Penn State Mont Alto Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lees-McRae College or Penn State Mont Alto? 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 Mont Alto than Lees-McRae College ($19,675 vs. $29,833).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Mont Alto are 4.8% lower than at Lees McRae College ($14,474 vs. $15,200).
• Lees McRae College is 130.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Mont Alto (about $18,842 more per year; $33,250.00 vs. $14,408.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 37.8% higher at Lees-McRae College than at Penn State Mont Alto (about $9,116 more per year; $33,250.00 vs. $24,134.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Lees McRae College than at Penn State Mont Alto (97% vs. 84%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Lees McRae College students is 95.7% larger than aid received by Penn State Mont Alto students ($19,774 vs. $10,106).

Lees-McRae College vs. Penn State Mont Alto Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Lees-McRae College or Penn State Mont Alto? 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 Mont Alto and Lees-McRae College.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Lees McRae College (1140) is the same as at Penn State Mont Alto (1140).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Lees McRae College 1040/1240; Penn State Mont Alto 980/1300.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Lees McRae College 20/26.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Lees-McRae College - Test-free; Penn State Mont Alto - Test optional.
• Penn State Mont Alto has a higher acceptance rate (98.2%) than Lees-McRae College (76.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 13.9% at Lees-McRae College vs. 24.4% at Penn State Mont Alto.

Lees-McRae College vs. Penn State Mont Alto Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Lees-McRae College and Penn State Mont Alto? 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).

• Penn State Mont Alto's six-year graduation rate (52%) is higher than Lees McRae College's (24%).
• Graduates from Penn State Mont Alto earn a median of about $21,000 more per year than Lees-McRae College graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $34,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Lees McRae College graduates have a $6,818 lower median loan debt than Penn State Mont Alto graduates ($20,000 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, Lees-McRae College graduates have an estimated $71 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Mont Alto graduates ($206 vs. $277).
• More Penn State Mont Alto graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lees-McRae College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 55%)

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.