Penn State Altoona vs. Saint Francis University

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

Penn State Altoona Saint Francis University
Location Altoona, PA Loretto, PA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 2,577 2,857
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #584 #510
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu francis.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Altoona Saint Francis University
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $39,820
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $39,820
Room & Board $12,984 $13,452
Avg Net Price $20,621 $27,459
Avg Grant Aid $9,574 $28,453
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 100%

Admission

Penn State Altoona Saint Francis University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,523 2,167
Admitted 7,204 1,583
Acceptance Rate 95.8% 73.1%
Enrolled % 12.6% 21.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 20/26
SAT Range 1050/1250 1030/1240
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

Academics

Penn State Altoona Saint Francis University
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Business (28%)
  • Health Professions (28%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Penn State Altoona Saint Francis University
Graduation Rate 65% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $54,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

Penn State Altoona Saint Francis University
% Men 53% 37%
% Women 47% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 46%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 5% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 41%

Students

Penn State Altoona Saint Francis University
% In-State 59% 71%
% Out-of-State 35% 27%

Campus

Penn State Altoona Saint Francis University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Saint Francis University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (2,857 students vs. 2,577 students)

Penn State Altoona vs. Saint Francis University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or Saint Francis University?

  • Saint Francis University is 158.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($39,820.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 54% higher at Saint Francis University than Penn State Altoona ($39,820.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than Saint Francis University ($20,621 vs. $27,459)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 3.6% lower than costs at Saint Francis University ($12,984 vs. $13,452)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Francis University than Penn State Altoona (100% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Francis University students is 197.2% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($28,453 vs. $9,574)

Penn State Altoona vs. Saint Francis University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Saint Francis University (1060) is 67 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming Saint Francis University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman Saint Francis University students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Saint Francis University (73.1%)

Penn State Altoona vs. Saint Francis University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Altoona or Saint Francis University? 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 Saint Francis University and Penn State Altoona.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Saint Francis University (65% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $1,300 more per year than Saint Francis University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $54,000)
  • Penn State Altoona students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Saint Francis University graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Altoona graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Saint Francis University graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Saint Francis University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)

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