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Penn State Berks Penn State Harrisburg Penn State Abington University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown JMU Penn State Erie-Behrend College University of Lynchburg Penn State Roanoke College VCU Marymount University Longwood University| Penn State Altoona | Shenandoah University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn State Altoona | SU | ||
| Location | Altoona, PA | Winchester, VA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,577 | 4,260 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #584 | #537 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | United Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | su.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Altoona | SU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,388 | $33,790 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,854 | $33,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,984 | $11,230 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,621 | $26,143 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,574 | $23,467 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 68% | 100% |
Admission |
Penn State Altoona | SU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,523 | 2,296 | ||
| Admitted | 7,204 | 1,845 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95.8% | 80.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.6% | 25.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.4 | 3.7 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Moderate | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 19/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 1050/1250 | 1010/1230 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Penn State Altoona | SU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State Altoona | SU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 65% | 45% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $48,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 60% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $258 |
Diversity |
Penn State Altoona | SU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 53% | 32% | ||
| % Women | 47% | 68% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 59% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 11% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 5% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 13% |
Students |
Penn State Altoona | SU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 59% | 52% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 35% | 48% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Altoona | SU | ||
| 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
- Shenandoah University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (4,260 students vs. 2,577 students)
Penn State Altoona vs. SU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or SU?
- Shenandoah University is 119.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($33,790.00 vs. $15,388.00)
- Out of state tuition is 30.7% higher at SU than Penn State Altoona ($33,790.00 vs. $25,854.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than SU ($20,621 vs. $26,143)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 15.6% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($11,230 vs. $12,984)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Shenandoah University than Penn State Altoona (100% vs. 68%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 145.1% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($23,467 vs. $9,574)
Penn State Altoona vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Altoona or SU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SU or Penn State Altoona .
- The average SAT score at Shenandoah University (1005) is 12 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
- Incoming Penn State Altoona students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at SU (22)
- Accepted freshman SU students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
- Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than SU (80.4%)
Penn State Altoona vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Altoona or SU? 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 SU and Penn State Altoona.
- The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Shenandoah University (65% vs. 45%)
- Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $7,000 more per year than SU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $48,300)
- Shenandoah University students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
- SU graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
- More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 60%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/