Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. Roanoke College

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Greater Allegheny in McKeesport, PA with Roanoke College in Salem, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Roanoke College is larger than Penn State Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (1,804 students vs. 352 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Greater Allegheny is located in McKeesport, PA (Large Suburban setting); Roanoke College is in Salem, VA (Midsize Suburban setting).
• Penn State Greater Allegheny is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Roanoke College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Greater Allegheny 9:1; Roanoke College 11:1.

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. Roanoke College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Greater Allegheny or Roanoke College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Greater Allegheny than Roanoke College ($15,574 vs. $26,044).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Greater Allegheny are 5.8% lower than at Roanoke College ($14,474 vs. $15,366).
• Roanoke College is 164.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Greater Allegheny (about $23,660 more per year; $38,068.00 vs. $14,408.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 57.7% higher at Roanoke College than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (about $13,934 more per year; $38,068.00 vs. $24,134.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Roanoke College than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (100% vs. 86%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Roanoke College students is 153.5% larger than aid received by Penn State Greater Allegheny students ($28,188 vs. $11,121).

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. Roanoke College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Greater Allegheny or Roanoke College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Roanoke College and Penn State Greater Allegheny.

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Roanoke College (1200) is 20 points higher than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (1180).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Penn State Greater Allegheny 1080/1280; Roanoke College 1090/1300.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresRoanoke College 24/31.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Greater Allegheny - Test optional; Roanoke College - Test optional.
• Penn State Greater Allegheny has a higher acceptance rate (96.5%) than Roanoke College (83.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.5% at Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. 9.7% at Roanoke College.

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. Roanoke College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Greater Allegheny and Roanoke College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Roanoke College's six-year graduation rate (69%) is higher than Penn State Greater Allegheny's (47%).
• Graduates from Penn State Greater Allegheny earn a median of about $4,100 more per year than Roanoke College graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $51,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates have a $182 lower median loan debt than Roanoke College graduates ($26,818 vs. $27,000).
• Among borrowers, Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates have an estimated $2 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Roanoke College graduates ($277 vs. $279).
• More Roanoke College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Greater Allegheny 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.