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Penn State Berks Penn State Harrisburg Virginia Tech JMU Penn State Abington University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Annapolis Washington and Lee Penn State Erie-Behrend College Citadel Military College of South Carolina Penn State Mason| Penn State Altoona | Virginia Military Institute | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn State Altoona | VMI | ||
| Location | Altoona, PA | Lexington, VA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Distant Rural | ||
| Enrollment | 2,577 | 1,512 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #584 | #150 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | vmi.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Altoona | VMI | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,388 | $9,782 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,854 | $39,590 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,984 | $10,674 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,621 | $18,129 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,574 | $19,111 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 68% | 69% |
Admission |
Penn State Altoona | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,523 | 1,192 | ||
| Admitted | 7,204 | 847 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95.8% | 71.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.6% | 42.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.4 | 3.65 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 22/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1050/1250 | 1105/1300 | ||
| 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 | Feb 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Penn State Altoona | VMI | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State Altoona | VMI | ||
| Graduation Rate | 65% | 69% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $62,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 84% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $258 |
Diversity |
Penn State Altoona | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 53% | 87% | ||
| % Women | 47% | 13% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 80% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 2% | ||
| % International | 5% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 0% |
Students |
Penn State Altoona | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 59% | 63% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 35% | 35% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Altoona | VMI | ||
| 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 VMI based on total student enrollment (2,577 students vs. 1,512 students)
Penn State Altoona vs. VMI Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or VMI?
- Penn State Altoona is 57.3% more expensive to attend than VMI for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $9,782.00)
- Out of state tuition is 53.1% higher at VMI than Penn State Altoona ($39,590.00 vs. $25,854.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than Penn State Altoona ($18,129 vs. $20,621)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 21.6% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($10,674 vs. $12,984)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Military Institute than Penn State Altoona (69% vs. 68%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 99.6% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($19,111 vs. $9,574)
Penn State Altoona vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Altoona or VMI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VMI or Penn State Altoona .
- The average SAT score at Virginia Military Institute (1139) is 146 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
- Incoming VMI students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
- Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
- Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than VMI (71.1%)
Penn State Altoona vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Altoona or VMI? 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 VMI and Penn State Altoona.
- The graduation rate at VMI is higher than Penn State Altoona (69% vs. 65%)
- Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $6,800 more per year than Penn State Altoona graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $55,300)
- Virginia Military Institute students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
- VMI graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
- More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/