Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Temple Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Penn State Berks Millersville University of Pennsylvania Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Penn State TU Drexel Penn State Harrisburg WVU Ship Pitt| Penn State Altoona | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn State Altoona | WCU | ||
| Location | Altoona, PA | West Chester, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 2,421 | 17,076 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #618 | #532 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | wcupa.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Altoona | WCU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,388 | $7,716 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,112 | $19,290 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,820 | $12,474 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,506 | $21,684 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,730 | $5,503 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 64% | 70% |
Admission |
Penn State Altoona | WCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,134 | 16,467 | ||
| Admitted | 6,942 | 13,042 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 97.3% | 79.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.4% | 23.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.4 | 3.43 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/27 | 24/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1050/1260 | 1100/1270 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
Penn State Altoona | WCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 20:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Penn State Altoona | WCU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 65% | 68% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $49,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 75% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $23,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $242 |
Diversity |
Penn State Altoona | WCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 11% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 78% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 11% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 5% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 0% |
Students |
Penn State Altoona | WCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 59% | 87% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 35% | 13% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Altoona | WCU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (17,076 students vs. 2,421 students)
Penn State Altoona vs. WCU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or WCU?
- Penn State Altoona is 99.4% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,716.00)
- Out of state tuition is 35.4% higher at Penn State Altoona than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($26,112.00 vs. $19,290.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than Penn State Altoona ($21,684 vs. $22,506)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are 10.8% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($12,474 vs. $13,820)
- More students receive financial grant aid at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than Penn State Altoona (70% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 58.6% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($8,730 vs. $5,503)
Penn State Altoona vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Altoona or WCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WCU or Penn State Altoona .
- The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 79 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
- Incoming WCU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
- Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
- Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than WCU (79.2%)
Penn State Altoona vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Altoona or WCU? 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 WCU and Penn State Altoona.
- The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Penn State Altoona (68% vs. 65%)
- Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $6,300 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $49,000)
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $3,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($23,500 vs. $26,818)
- WCU graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($242 vs. $277)
- More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/