Penn State Altoona vs. Penn State Berks

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Altoona in Altoona, PA with Penn State Berks in Reading, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Altoona is larger than Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (2,371 students vs. 1,884 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Altoona is located in Altoona, PA (Small City setting); Penn State Berks is in Reading, PA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Penn State Altoona is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Berks is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Altoona 13:1; Penn State Berks 13:1.

Penn State Altoona vs. Penn State Berks Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or Penn State Berks? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than Penn State Berks ($21,618 vs. $23,721).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at Penn State Altoona and Penn State Berks ($14,474).
• Penn State Altoona and Penn State Berks have the same published in-state tuition ($15,972.00 vs. $15,972.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is the same at Penn State Altoona as at Penn State Berks ($26,958.00 vs. $26,958.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State Altoona than at Penn State Berks (78% vs. 69%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 17.9% larger than aid received by Penn State Berks students ($11,088 vs. $9,405).

Penn State Altoona vs. Penn State Berks Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Altoona or Penn State Berks? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State Berks and Penn State Altoona.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Altoona (1180) is the same as at Penn State Berks (1180).
• Incoming Penn State Altoona students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (25 vs. 22 at Penn State Berks).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Altoona 1070/1290; Penn State Berks 1090/1275.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Altoona 22/28; Penn State Berks 18/27.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Altoona - Test optional; Penn State Berks - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at Penn State Berks (3.39).
• Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (98.7%) than Penn State Altoona (98.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 10.3% at Penn State Altoona vs. 9.4% at Penn State Berks.

Penn State Altoona vs. Penn State Berks Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Altoona and Penn State Berks? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Penn State Altoona's six-year graduation rate (65%) is higher than Penn State Berks's (55%).
• Graduates of Penn State Altoona and Penn State Berks have equivalent median earnings about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $55,300), per the federal College Scorecard cohort (typically among students working and not enrolled).
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Berks and Penn State Altoona graduates have the same median loan debt ($26,818 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Penn State Berks and Penn State Altoona graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($277 vs. $277).
• Federal student loan repayment rates three years after graduation are the same for Penn State Berks and Penn State Altoona graduates (69% vs. 69%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.