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Penn State Berks Penn State Harrisburg Kentucky University of Toledo Eastern Penn State Abington University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Murray State University Penn State Erie-Behrend College WKU Penn State Xavier| Northern Kentucky University | Penn State Altoona | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
NKU | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Location | Highland Heights, KY | Altoona, PA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 15,801 | 2,577 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #805 | #584 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nku.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NKU | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,208 | $15,388 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $20,464 | $25,854 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,248 | $12,984 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $7,259 | $20,621 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,275 | $9,574 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 68% |
Admission |
NKU | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 6,905 | 7,523 | ||
| Admitted | 5,939 | 7,204 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86% | 95.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.6% | 12.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.4 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 21/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1030/1290 | 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 15, 2025 |
Academics |
NKU | Penn State Altoona | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NKU | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Graduation Rate | 37% | 65% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,700 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 53% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $24,950 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $257 | $277 |
Diversity |
NKU | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 36% | 53% | ||
| % Women | 64% | 47% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 82% | 77% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 3% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 2% | ||
| % International | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
NKU | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 66% | 59% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 26% | 35% | ||
Campus |
NKU | 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
- Northern Kentucky University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (15,801 students vs. 2,577 students)
NKU vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NKU or Penn State Altoona?
- Penn State Altoona is 50.7% more expensive to attend than NKU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $10,208.00)
- Out of state tuition is 26.3% higher at Penn State Altoona than Northern Kentucky University ($25,854.00 vs. $20,464.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern Kentucky University than Penn State Altoona ($7,259 vs. $20,621)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Kentucky University are 15.4% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($11,248 vs. $12,984)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Kentucky University than Penn State Altoona (100% vs. 68%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Kentucky University students is 17.8% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($11,275 vs. $9,574)
NKU vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NKU 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 NKU .
- The average SAT score at Northern Kentucky University (1068) is 75 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
- Incoming NKU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
- Accepted freshman NKU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
- Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than NKU (86%)
NKU vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NKU 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 NKU.
- The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Northern Kentucky University (65% vs. 37%)
- Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $15,600 more per year than NKU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $39,700)
- Northern Kentucky University students graduate with a $1,868 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($24,950 vs. $26,818)
- NKU graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($257 vs. $277)
- More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NKU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 53%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/