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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 | Christopher Newport University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn State Altoona | CNU | ||
| Location | Altoona, PA | Newport News, VA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,421 | 4,503 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #618 | #418 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | cnu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Altoona | CNU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,388 | $10,001 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,112 | $24,238 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,820 | $12,360 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,506 | $22,864 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,730 | $9,141 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 64% | 65% |
Admission |
Penn State Altoona | CNU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,134 | 7,062 | ||
| Admitted | 6,942 | 6,212 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 97.3% | 88% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.4% | 18.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.4 | 3.79 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/27 | 23/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1050/1260 | 1100/1300 | ||
| 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, 2026 |
Academics |
Penn State Altoona | CNU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 13:1 | ||
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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 | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 1% | ||
| 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% | 93% | ||
| % 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 (4,503 students vs. 2,421 students)
Penn State Altoona vs. CNU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or CNU?
- Penn State Altoona is 53.9% more expensive to attend than CNU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $10,001.00)
- Out of state tuition is 7.7% higher at Penn State Altoona than Christopher Newport University ($26,112.00 vs. $24,238.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than CNU ($22,506 vs. $22,864)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Christopher Newport University are 11.8% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($12,360 vs. $13,820)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Christopher Newport University than Penn State Altoona (65% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Christopher Newport University students is 4.7% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($9,141 vs. $8,730)
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 (97.3%) than CNU (88%)
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/