Penn State Altoona vs. SVU

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Altoona in Altoona, PA with Southern Virginia University in Buena Vista, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Altoona is larger than SVU based on total student enrollment (2,371 students vs. 936 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Altoona is located in Altoona, PA (Small City setting); Southern Virginia University is in Buena Vista, VA (Distant Town setting).
• Penn State Altoona is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Southern Virginia University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Altoona 13:1; Southern Virginia University 14:1.

Penn State Altoona vs. SVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or SVU? 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 SVU ($21,618 vs. $24,561).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Virginia University are 31.6% lower than at Penn State Altoona ($9,894 vs. $14,474).
• Southern Virginia University is 33.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Altoona (about $5,308 more per year; $21,280.00 vs. $15,972.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 26.7% higher at Penn State Altoona than at Southern Virginia University (about $5,678 more per year; $26,958.00 vs. $21,280.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southern Virginia University than at Penn State Altoona (100% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 10.4% larger than aid received by Southern Virginia University students ($11,088 vs. $10,041).

Penn State Altoona vs. SVU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Altoona or SVU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SVU and Penn State Altoona.

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Penn State Altoona (1180) is 80 points higher than at SVU (1100).
• Incoming Penn State Altoona students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (25 vs. 21 at SVU).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Penn State Altoona 1070/1290; Southern Virginia University 943/1253.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Penn State Altoona 22/28; Southern Virginia University 18/25.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Altoona - Test optional; SVU - Test-free.
• Enrolled freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at SVU (3.19).
• Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than SVU (96.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 10.3% at Penn State Altoona vs. 21.4% at SVU.

Penn State Altoona vs. SVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Altoona and SVU? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Penn State Altoona's six-year graduation rate (65%) is higher than Southern Virginia University's (25%).
• Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn a median of about $14,700 more per year than SVU graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $40,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southern Virginia University graduates have a $3,164 lower median loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates ($23,654 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, SVU graduates have an estimated $33 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Altoona graduates ($244 vs. $277).
• More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SVU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 53%)

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.