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Penn State Berks Penn State Harrisburg Penn State Abington University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Penn State Erie-Behrend College Penn State Marywood YCP Widener University-Main Campus Misericordia University Lycoming College Penn State Mont Alto| Penn State Altoona | Wilkes University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn State Altoona | Wilkes | ||
| Location | Altoona, PA | Wilkes-Barre, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,577 | 5,207 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #584 | #478 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | wilkes.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Altoona | Wilkes | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,388 | $39,134 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,854 | $39,134 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,984 | $15,850 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,621 | $27,918 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,574 | $29,441 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 68% | 97% |
Admission |
Penn State Altoona | Wilkes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,523 | 4,798 | ||
| Admitted | 7,204 | 4,517 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95.8% | 94.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.6% | 10.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.4 | 3.56 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 21/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 1050/1250 | 1060/1260 | ||
| 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 | Wilkes | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State Altoona | Wilkes | ||
| Graduation Rate | 65% | 58% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $58,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 75% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $26,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $268 |
Diversity |
Penn State Altoona | Wilkes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 53% | 31% | ||
| % Women | 47% | 69% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 73% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 5% | 9% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 2% |
Students |
Penn State Altoona | Wilkes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 59% | 75% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 35% | 24% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Altoona | Wilkes | ||
| 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
- Wilkes University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (5,207 students vs. 2,577 students)
Penn State Altoona vs. Wilkes Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or Wilkes?
- Wilkes University is 154.3% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($39,134.00 vs. $15,388.00)
- Out of state tuition is 51.4% higher at Wilkes than Penn State Altoona ($39,134.00 vs. $25,854.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than Wilkes ($20,621 vs. $27,918)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 22.1% lower than costs at Wilkes University ($12,984 vs. $15,850)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Wilkes University than Penn State Altoona (97% vs. 68%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Wilkes University students is 207.5% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($29,441 vs. $9,574)
Penn State Altoona vs. Wilkes Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Altoona or Wilkes? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Wilkes or Penn State Altoona .
- The average SAT score at Wilkes University (1053) is 60 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
- Accepted freshman Wilkes 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 Wilkes (94.1%)
Penn State Altoona vs. Wilkes Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Altoona or Wilkes? 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 Wilkes and Penn State Altoona.
- The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Wilkes University (65% vs. 58%)
- Graduates from Wilkes University earn on average $2,900 more per year than Penn State Altoona graduates after ten years. ($58,200 vs. $55,300)
- Wilkes University students graduate with a $818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,818)
- Wilkes graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($268 vs. $277)
- More Wilkes 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/