Penn State Altoona vs. Temple

Comparable Facts

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

Temple University is larger than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (29,640 students vs. 2,371 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Altoona is located in Altoona, PA (Small City setting); Temple University is in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting).
• Penn State Altoona is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Temple University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Altoona 13:1; Temple University 12:1.

Penn State Altoona vs. Temple Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or Temple? 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 Temple ($21,618 vs. $28,088).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 18.2% lower than at Temple University ($14,474 vs. $17,690).
• Temple University is 44.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Altoona (about $7,039 more per year; $23,011.00 vs. $15,972.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 44.5% higher at Temple than at Penn State Altoona (about $12,000 more per year; $38,958.00 vs. $26,958.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Temple University than at Penn State Altoona (89% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Temple University students is 33.8% larger than aid received by Penn State Altoona students ($14,837 vs. $11,088).

Penn State Altoona vs. Temple Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Altoona or Temple? 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 Temple and Penn State Altoona.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Altoona 1070/1290.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Altoona 22/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Altoona - Test optional; Temple - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Temple Feb 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman Temple students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4).
• Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than Temple (80.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 10.3% at Penn State Altoona vs. 15.2% at Temple.

Penn State Altoona vs. Temple Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Altoona and Temple? 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).

• Temple University's six-year graduation rate (68%) is higher than Penn State Altoona's (65%).
• Graduates from Temple University earn a median of about $1,000 more per year than Penn State Altoona graduates about ten years after starting college ($56,300 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Temple University graduates have a $818 lower median loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates ($26,000 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, Temple graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Altoona graduates ($268 vs. $277).
• More Temple graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (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.