Penn State Altoona vs. UWSP

Should I go to Penn State Altoona or University of Wisconsin Stevens Point? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Altoona or UWSP 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Penn State Altoona vs. University of Wisconsin Stevens Point comparison
Penn State Altoona University of Wisconsin Stevens Point College 3 College 4
University of Wisconsin Stevens Point
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Penn State Altoona UWSP
Location Altoona, PA Stevens Point, WI
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 2,577 7,964
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #584 #860
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu uwsp.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Altoona UWSP
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $6,698
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $15,402
Room & Board $12,984 $8,000
Avg Net Price $20,621 $13,702
Avg Grant Aid $9,574 $4,169
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 98%

Admission

Penn State Altoona UWSP
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,523 8,120
Admitted 7,204 7,231
Acceptance Rate 95.8% 89.1%
Enrolled % 12.6% 23.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.27
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 19/24
SAT Range 1050/1250
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 Sep 1, 2024

Academics

Penn State Altoona UWSP
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (13%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

Penn State Altoona UWSP
Graduation Rate 65% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $41,700
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $24,360
Median Loan Payment $277 $251

Diversity

Penn State Altoona UWSP
% Men 53% 42%
% Women 47% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 87%
% Black 7% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 5% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Penn State Altoona UWSP
% In-State 59% 90%
% Out-of-State 35% 10%

Campus

Penn State Altoona UWSP
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 Wisconsin Stevens Point is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (7,964 students vs. 2,577 students)

Penn State Altoona vs. UWSP Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or UWSP?

  • Penn State Altoona is 129.7% more expensive to attend than UWSP for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $6,698.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67.9% higher at Penn State Altoona than University of Wisconsin Stevens Point ($25,854.00 vs. $15,402.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Stevens Point than Penn State Altoona ($13,702 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Stevens Point are 62.3% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($8,000 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Wisconsin Stevens Point than Penn State Altoona (98% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 129.6% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Stevens Point ($9,574 vs. $4,169)

Penn State Altoona vs. UWSP Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Stevens Point (1050) is 57 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming UWSP students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at UWSP (3.27)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than UWSP (89.1%)

Penn State Altoona vs. UWSP Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Altoona or UWSP? 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 UWSP and Penn State Altoona.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than University of Wisconsin Stevens Point (65% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $13,600 more per year than UWSP graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $41,700)
  • University of Wisconsin Stevens Point students graduate with a $2,458 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($24,360 vs. $26,818)
  • UWSP graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($251 vs. $277)
  • More UWSP graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 69%)

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