Penn State Altoona vs. CNU

Should I go to Penn State Altoona or Christopher Newport University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Altoona or CNU 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

JMU Mason Old Dominion Mary Washington College Penn State Berks Virginia Tech VCU William & Mary Penn State Harrisburg Longwood University UVA Elon
Penn State Altoona vs. Christopher Newport University comparison
Penn State Altoona Christopher Newport University College 3 College 4
Christopher Newport University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Penn State Altoona CNU
Location Altoona, PA Newport News, VA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 2,577 4,559
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #584 #390
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu cnu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Altoona CNU
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $9,375
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $22,613
Room & Board $12,984 $11,990
Avg Net Price $20,621 $23,287
Avg Grant Aid $9,574 $8,022
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 66%

Admission

Penn State Altoona CNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,523 7,428
Admitted 7,204 6,340
Acceptance Rate 95.8% 85.4%
Enrolled % 12.6% 18.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.79
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 22/29
SAT Range 1050/1250 1100/1290
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

Penn State Altoona CNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)

Outcomes

Penn State Altoona CNU
Graduation Rate 65% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $47,100
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $258

Diversity

Penn State Altoona CNU
% Men 53% 46%
% Women 47% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 74%
% Black 7% 8%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 5% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

Penn State Altoona CNU
% In-State 59% 91%
% Out-of-State 35% 6%

Campus

Penn State Altoona CNU
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

  • Christopher Newport University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (4,559 students vs. 2,577 students)

Penn State Altoona vs. CNU Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Altoona is 64.1% more expensive to attend than CNU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $9,375.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.3% higher at Penn State Altoona than Christopher Newport University ($25,854.00 vs. $22,613.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than CNU ($20,621 vs. $23,287)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Christopher Newport University are 8.3% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($11,990 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Altoona than Christopher Newport University (68% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 19.3% larger than aid received Christopher Newport University ($9,574 vs. $8,022)

Penn State Altoona vs. CNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Altoona or CNU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CNU or Penn State Altoona .

  • The average SAT score at Christopher Newport University (1155) is 162 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming CNU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman CNU students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than CNU (85.4%)

Penn State Altoona vs. CNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Altoona or CNU? 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 CNU and Penn State Altoona.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Christopher Newport University (65% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $8,200 more per year than CNU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $47,100)
  • Christopher Newport University students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
  • CNU graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More CNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)

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