Penn State Altoona vs. West Virginia University Tech

Should I go to Penn State Altoona or West Virginia University Institute of Technology? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Altoona or West Virginia University Tech 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. West Virginia University Institute of Technology comparison
Penn State Altoona West Virginia University Institute of Technology College 3 College 4
West Virginia University Institute of Technology
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Overview

Penn State Altoona West Virginia University Tech
Location Altoona, PA Montgomery, WV
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 2,577 1,481
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #584 #832
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu wvutech.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Altoona West Virginia University Tech
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $7,848
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $19,584
Room & Board $12,984 $11,676
Avg Net Price $20,621 $9,529
Avg Grant Aid $9,574 $8,830
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 99%

Admission

Penn State Altoona West Virginia University Tech
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,523 830
Admitted 7,204 536
Acceptance Rate 95.8% 64.6%
Enrolled % 12.6% 55.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.51
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 18/24
SAT Range 1050/1250 900/1130
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Penn State Altoona West Virginia University Tech
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%)
  • Engineering (32%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Engineering Technology (14%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Penn State Altoona West Virginia University Tech
Graduation Rate 65% 29%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $24,001
Median Loan Payment $277 $248

Diversity

Penn State Altoona West Virginia University Tech
% Men 53% 52%
% Women 47% 48%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 72%
% Black 7% 8%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 5% 9%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Penn State Altoona West Virginia University Tech
% In-State 59% 80%
% Out-of-State 35% 9%

Campus

Penn State Altoona West Virginia University Tech
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

  • Penn State Altoona is larger than than West Virginia University Tech based on total student enrollment (2,577 students vs. 1,481 students)

Penn State Altoona vs. West Virginia University Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or West Virginia University Tech?

  • Penn State Altoona is 96.1% more expensive to attend than West Virginia University Tech for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,848.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32% higher at Penn State Altoona than West Virginia University Institute of Technology ($25,854.00 vs. $19,584.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Virginia University Institute of Technology than Penn State Altoona ($9,529 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Virginia University Institute of Technology are 11.2% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($11,676 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at West Virginia University Institute of Technology than Penn State Altoona (99% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 8.4% larger than aid received West Virginia University Institute of Technology ($9,574 vs. $8,830)

Penn State Altoona vs. West Virginia University Tech Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Altoona (993) is 11 points higher than at West Virginia University Tech (982)
  • Incoming Penn State Altoona students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at West Virginia University Tech (21)
  • Accepted freshman West Virginia University Tech students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than West Virginia University Tech (64.6%)

Penn State Altoona vs. West Virginia University Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Altoona or West Virginia University Tech? 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 West Virginia University Tech and Penn State Altoona.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than West Virginia University Institute of Technology (65% vs. 29%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $4,700 more per year than West Virginia University Tech graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $50,600)
  • West Virginia University Institute of Technology students graduate with a $2,817 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($24,001 vs. $26,818)
  • West Virginia University Tech graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($248 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former West Virginia University Tech students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 59%)

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