Penn State Altoona vs. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology

Should I go to Penn State Altoona or Harrisburg University of Science and Technology? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Altoona or Harrisburg University of Science and Technology 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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Penn State Altoona vs. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology comparison
Penn State Altoona Harrisburg University of Science and Technology College 3 College 4
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
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Overview

Penn State Altoona Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Location Altoona, PA Harrisburg, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 2,421 3,558
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #618
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu harrisburgu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Altoona Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $23,900
Tuition (Out of State) $26,112 $23,900
Room & Board $13,820 $9,900
Avg Net Price $22,506 $14,882
Avg Grant Aid $8,730 $18,747
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 98%

Admission

Penn State Altoona Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,134 1,290
Admitted 6,942 1,055
Acceptance Rate 97.3% 81.8%Open
Enrolled % 12.4% 13.7%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/27
SAT Range 1050/1260
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

Penn State Altoona Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (35%)
  • Biology (35%)
  • General Studies (25%)
  • Business (5%)

Outcomes

Penn State Altoona Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Graduation Rate 65% 9%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 43%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $26,500
Median Loan Payment $277 $274

Diversity

Penn State Altoona Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
% Men 0% 43%
% Women 0% 37%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 39%
% Black 7% 37%
% Hispanic 6% 10%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 5% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Penn State Altoona Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
% In-State 59% 72%
% Out-of-State 35% 28%

Campus

Penn State Altoona Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Harrisburg University of Science and Technology is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (3,558 students vs. 2,421 students)

Penn State Altoona vs. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or Harrisburg University of Science and Technology?

  • Harrisburg University of Science and Technology is 55.3% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($23,900.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.3% higher at Penn State Altoona than Harrisburg University of Science and Technology ($26,112.00 vs. $23,900.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology than Penn State Altoona ($14,882 vs. $22,506)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology are 39.6% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($9,900 vs. $13,820)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology than Penn State Altoona (98% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harrisburg University of Science and Technology students is 114.7% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($18,747 vs. $8,730)

Penn State Altoona vs. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Harrisburg University of Science and Technology 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 (97.3%) than Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (81.8%)

Penn State Altoona vs. Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Altoona or Harrisburg University of Science and Technology? 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 Harrisburg University of Science and Technology and Penn State Altoona.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (65% vs. 9%)
  • Harrisburg University of Science and Technology students graduate with a $318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($26,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Harrisburg University of Science and Technology 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 Harrisburg University of Science and Technology students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 43%)

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