Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Haverford College Amherst Williams Vassar Penn State Berks Bryn Mawr Johns Hopkins Pomona Cornell Carnegie Mellon Georgetown Penn| Penn State Altoona | Swarthmore College | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn State Altoona | Swarthmore | ||
| Location | Altoona, PA | Swarthmore, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 2,421 | 1,644 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #618 | #41 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | swarthmore.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Altoona | Swarthmore | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,388 | $61,992 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,112 | $61,992 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,820 | $18,964 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,506 | $17,930 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,730 | $62,084 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 64% | 53% |
Admission |
Penn State Altoona | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,134 | 14,287 | ||
| Admitted | 6,942 | 992 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 97.3% | 6.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.4% | 41.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.4 | 3.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | |||
| ACT Range | 22/27 | 33/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1050/1260 | 1460/1560 | ||
| 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 4, 2026 |
Academics |
Penn State Altoona | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 8:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Penn State Altoona | Swarthmore | ||
| Graduation Rate | 65% | 95% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $65,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 87% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $201 |
Diversity |
Penn State Altoona | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 1% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 42% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 13% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 8% | ||
| % International | 5% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 3% |
Students |
Penn State Altoona | Swarthmore | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 59% | 10% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 35% | 75% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Altoona | Swarthmore | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Altoona is larger than than Swarthmore based on total student enrollment (2,421 students vs. 1,644 students)
Penn State Altoona vs. Swarthmore Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or Swarthmore?
- Swarthmore College is 302.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($61,992.00 vs. $15,388.00)
- Out of state tuition is 137.4% higher at Swarthmore than Penn State Altoona ($61,992.00 vs. $26,112.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Swarthmore College than Penn State Altoona ($17,930 vs. $22,506)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 37.2% lower than costs at Swarthmore College ($13,820 vs. $18,964)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Altoona than Swarthmore College (64% vs. 53%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Swarthmore College students is 611.2% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($62,084 vs. $8,730)
Penn State Altoona vs. Swarthmore Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Altoona or Swarthmore? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Swarthmore or Penn State Altoona .
- The average SAT score at Swarthmore College (1431) is 438 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
- Incoming Swarthmore students have a 10 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
- Accepted freshman Swarthmore students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
- Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than Swarthmore (6.9%)
Penn State Altoona vs. Swarthmore Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Altoona or Swarthmore? 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 Swarthmore and Penn State Altoona.
- The graduation rate at Swarthmore is higher than Penn State Altoona (95% vs. 65%)
- Graduates from Swarthmore College earn on average $10,500 more per year than Penn State Altoona graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $55,300)
- Swarthmore College students graduate with a $7,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,818)
- Swarthmore graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($201 vs. $277)
- More Swarthmore graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/