MVNU vs. Penn State Altoona

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

 MVNU Penn State Altoona
Location Mount Vernon, OH Altoona, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 1,845 2,421
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #646 #618
Religious Affiliation Church of the Nazarene - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mvnu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MVNU Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $35,274 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $35,274 $26,112
Room & Board $9,996 $13,820
Avg Net Price $23,293 $22,506
Avg Grant Aid $25,684 $8,730
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 64%

Admission

 MVNU Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,134 7,134
Admitted 956 6,942
Acceptance Rate 84.3% 97.3%
Enrolled % 28.5% 12.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.55 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 22/27
SAT Range 963/1228 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

 MVNU Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (44%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (4%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

 MVNU Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 57% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,100 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,536 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $274 $277

Diversity

 MVNU Penn State Altoona
% Men 5% 0%
% Women 7% 0%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 85% 77%
% Black 5% 7%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

 MVNU Penn State Altoona
% In-State 85% 59%
% Out-of-State 13% 35%

Campus

 MVNU 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 MVNU based on total student enrollment (2,421 students vs. 1,845 students)

MVNU vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • Mount Vernon Nazarene University is 129.2% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($35,274.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.1% higher at MVNU than Penn State Altoona ($35,274.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than MVNU ($22,506 vs. $23,293)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mount Vernon Nazarene University are 38.3% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($9,996 vs. $13,820)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mount Vernon Nazarene University than Penn State Altoona (99% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Vernon Nazarene University students is 194.2% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($25,684 vs. $8,730)

MVNU vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MVNU 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 MVNU .

  • The average SAT score at Mount Vernon Nazarene University (1047) is 54 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming MVNU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman MVNU students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than MVNU (84.3%)

MVNU vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MVNU 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 MVNU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Mount Vernon Nazarene University (65% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $9,200 more per year than MVNU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $46,100)
  • Mount Vernon Nazarene University students graduate with a $282 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($26,536 vs. $26,818)
  • MVNU graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($274 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MVNU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 65%)

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