Marietta College vs. Penn State Altoona

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

Marietta College Penn State Altoona
Location Marietta, OH Altoona, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 1,171 2,421
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #360 #618
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website marietta.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Marietta College Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $37,752 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $37,752 $26,112
Room & Board $12,544 $13,820
Avg Net Price $21,333 $22,506
Avg Grant Aid $31,049 $8,730
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 64%

Admission

Marietta College Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,516 7,134
Admitted 1,978 6,942
Acceptance Rate 78.6% 97.3%
Enrolled % 15.9% 12.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 22/27
SAT Range 990/1295 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

Academics

Marietta College Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Marietta College Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 51% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,900 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

Marietta College Penn State Altoona
% Men 2% 0%
% Women 6% 0%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 77%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 14% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Marietta College Penn State Altoona
% In-State 73% 59%
% Out-of-State 25% 35%

Campus

Marietta 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 Marietta College based on total student enrollment (2,421 students vs. 1,171 students)

Marietta College vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • Marietta College is 145.3% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($37,752.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.6% higher at Marietta College than Penn State Altoona ($37,752.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Marietta College than Penn State Altoona ($21,333 vs. $22,506)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Marietta College are 10.2% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($12,544 vs. $13,820)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Marietta College than Penn State Altoona (88% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Marietta College students is 255.7% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($31,049 vs. $8,730)

Marietta College vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Marietta College (1100) is 107 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming Marietta College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman Marietta College students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than Marietta College (78.6%)

Marietta College vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Marietta 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 Marietta College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Marietta College (65% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $3,400 more per year than Marietta College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $51,900)
  • Penn State Altoona students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Marietta College graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Altoona graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Marietta College graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Marietta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)

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