Penn State Altoona vs. University of Scranton

Should I go to Penn State Altoona or University of Scranton? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Altoona or University of Scranton is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Penn State Altoona vs. University of Scranton comparison
Penn State Altoona University of Scranton College 3 College 4
University of Scranton
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Overview

Penn State Altoona University of Scranton
Location Altoona, PA Scranton, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 2,577 4,731
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #584 #217
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu scranton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Altoona University of Scranton
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $49,912
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $49,912
Room & Board $12,984 $16,490
Avg Net Price $20,621 $35,526
Avg Grant Aid $9,574 $30,218
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 98%

Admission

Penn State Altoona University of Scranton
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,523 9,530
Admitted 7,204 8,039
Acceptance Rate 95.8% 84.4%
Enrolled % 12.6% 13.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 25/31
SAT Range 1050/1250 1150/1320
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 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

Penn State Altoona University of Scranton
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Penn State Altoona University of Scranton
Graduation Rate 65% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

Penn State Altoona University of Scranton
% Men 53% 42%
% Women 47% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 82%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 5% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Penn State Altoona University of Scranton
% In-State 59% 44%
% Out-of-State 35% 56%

Campus

Penn State Altoona University of Scranton
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

  • University of Scranton is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (4,731 students vs. 2,577 students)

Penn State Altoona vs. University of Scranton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or University of Scranton?

  • University of Scranton is 224.4% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($49,912.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 93.1% higher at University of Scranton than Penn State Altoona ($49,912.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than University of Scranton ($20,621 vs. $35,526)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 27% lower than costs at University of Scranton ($12,984 vs. $16,490)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Scranton than Penn State Altoona (98% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Scranton students is 215.6% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($30,218 vs. $9,574)

Penn State Altoona vs. University of Scranton Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Altoona or University of Scranton? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between University of Scranton or Penn State Altoona .

  • The average SAT score at University of Scranton (1134) is 141 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming University of Scranton students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman University of Scranton students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than University of Scranton (84.4%)

Penn State Altoona vs. University of Scranton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Altoona or University of Scranton? 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 University of Scranton and Penn State Altoona.

  • The graduation rate at University of Scranton is higher than Penn State Altoona (77% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from University of Scranton earn on average $6,800 more per year than Penn State Altoona graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Altoona students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Scranton graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Altoona graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than University of Scranton graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More University of Scranton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/