Manhattan College vs. Penn State Altoona

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

Manhattan College Penn State Altoona
Location Riverdale, NY Altoona, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 3,575 2,577
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #170 #584
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website manhattan.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Manhattan College Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $44,100 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $44,100 $25,854
Room & Board $18,440 $12,984
Avg Net Price $29,535 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $31,882 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 68%

Admission

Manhattan College Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,930 7,523
Admitted 8,172 7,204
Acceptance Rate 82.3%Open 95.8%
Enrolled % 9.2%Open 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/30 21/28
SAT Range 1140/1330 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 31, 2025

Academics

Manhattan College Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (25%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Manhattan College Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 72% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $268 $277

Diversity

Manhattan College Penn State Altoona
% Men 57% 53%
% Women 43% 47%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 77%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 21% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 8% 1%

Students

Manhattan College Penn State Altoona
% In-State 72% 59%
% Out-of-State 25% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Manhattan College is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (3,575 students vs. 2,577 students)

Manhattan College vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • Manhattan College is 186.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($44,100.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 70.6% higher at Manhattan College than Penn State Altoona ($44,100.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than Manhattan College ($20,621 vs. $29,535)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 42% lower than costs at Manhattan College ($12,984 vs. $18,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Manhattan College than Penn State Altoona (100% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Manhattan College students is 233% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($31,882 vs. $9,574)

Manhattan College vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Manhattan College (1097) is 104 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming Manhattan College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman Manhattan College students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Manhattan College (82.3%)

Manhattan College vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Manhattan 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 Manhattan College.

  • The graduation rate at Manhattan College is higher than Penn State Altoona (72% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Manhattan College earn on average $11,400 more per year than Penn State Altoona graduates after ten years. ($66,700 vs. $55,300)
  • Manhattan College students graduate with a $818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Manhattan College graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($268 vs. $277)
  • More Manhattan College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 69%)

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