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Mason Virginia Tech VCU UVA CNU Old Dominion Mary Washington College William & Mary UD Elon ASU Penn State Berks| Penn State Altoona | James Madison University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn State Altoona | JMU | ||
| Location | Altoona, PA | Harrisonburg, VA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,577 | 22,224 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #584 | #260 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | jmu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Altoona | JMU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,388 | $7,684 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,854 | $24,744 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,984 | $12,040 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,621 | $18,274 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,574 | $10,081 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 68% | 33% |
Admission |
Penn State Altoona | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,523 | 30,727 | ||
| Admitted | 7,204 | 24,062 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95.8% | 78.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.6% | 20.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.4 | 3.57 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 23/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1050/1250 | 1140/1320 | ||
| 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 | Jan 15, 2025 |
Academics |
Penn State Altoona | JMU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State Altoona | JMU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 65% | 81% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $60,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 83% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $20,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $216 |
Diversity |
Penn State Altoona | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 53% | 42% | ||
| % Women | 47% | 58% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 5% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 3% |
Students |
Penn State Altoona | JMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 59% | 73% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 35% | 26% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Altoona | JMU | ||
| 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
- James Madison University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (22,224 students vs. 2,577 students)
Penn State Altoona vs. JMU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or JMU?
- Penn State Altoona is 100.3% more expensive to attend than JMU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,684.00)
- Out of state tuition is 4.5% higher at Penn State Altoona than James Madison University ($25,854.00 vs. $24,744.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at James Madison University than Penn State Altoona ($18,274 vs. $20,621)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at James Madison University are 7.8% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($12,040 vs. $12,984)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Altoona than James Madison University (68% vs. 33%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by James Madison University students is 5.3% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($10,081 vs. $9,574)
Penn State Altoona vs. JMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Altoona or JMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between JMU or Penn State Altoona .
- The average SAT score at James Madison University (1134) is 141 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
- Incoming JMU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
- Accepted freshman JMU students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
- Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than JMU (78.3%)
Penn State Altoona vs. JMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Altoona or JMU? 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 JMU and Penn State Altoona.
- The graduation rate at JMU is higher than Penn State Altoona (81% vs. 65%)
- Graduates from James Madison University earn on average $5,000 more per year than Penn State Altoona graduates after ten years. ($60,300 vs. $55,300)
- James Madison University students graduate with a $5,919 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($20,899 vs. $26,818)
- JMU graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($216 vs. $277)
- More JMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/