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UC Riverside UCSC CSU UC Davis Penn State Berks San Jose State Cal State Fullerton San Diego State Cal Poly California State Polytechnic University-Pomona San Francisco State Penn State Harrisburg| Penn State Altoona | University of California Merced | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Penn State Altoona | UC Merced | ||
| Location | Altoona, PA | Merced, CA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 2,421 | 9,147 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #618 | #542 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | ucmerced.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Altoona | UC Merced | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,388 | $11,834 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,112 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,820 | $20,293 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,506 | $13,232 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,730 | $24,868 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 64% | 81% |
Admission |
Penn State Altoona | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,134 | 67,891 | ||
| Admitted | 6,942 | 26,598 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 97.3% | 39.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.4% | 9.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.4 | 3.55 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Very Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 22/27 | 19/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 1050/1260 | 960/1140 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
Penn State Altoona | UC Merced | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State Altoona | UC Merced | ||
| Graduation Rate | 65% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $19,899 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $205 |
Diversity |
Penn State Altoona | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 13% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 48% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 5% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Penn State Altoona | UC Merced | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 59% | 99% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 35% | 0% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Altoona | UC Merced | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of California Merced is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (9,147 students vs. 2,421 students)
Penn State Altoona vs. UC Merced Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or UC Merced?
- Penn State Altoona is 30% more expensive to attend than UC Merced for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 63.2% higher at UC Merced than Penn State Altoona ($42,611.00 vs. $26,112.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Merced than Penn State Altoona ($13,232 vs. $22,506)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 46.8% lower than costs at University of California Merced ($13,820 vs. $20,293)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Merced than Penn State Altoona (81% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Merced students is 184.9% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($24,868 vs. $8,730)
Penn State Altoona vs. UC Merced Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Altoona or UC Merced? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UC Merced or Penn State Altoona .
- The average SAT score at University of California Merced (1025) is 32 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
- Incoming UC Merced students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
- Accepted freshman UC Merced students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.55) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
- Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than UC Merced (39.2%)
Penn State Altoona vs. UC Merced Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Altoona or UC Merced? 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 UC Merced and Penn State Altoona.
- The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than University of California Merced (65% vs. 58%)
- University of California Merced students graduate with a $6,919 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($19,899 vs. $26,818)
- UC Merced graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($205 vs. $277)
- More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Merced students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/