Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. SVU

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Greater Allegheny in McKeesport, PA with Southern Virginia University in Buena Vista, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southern Virginia University is larger than Penn State Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (936 students vs. 352 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Greater Allegheny is located in McKeesport, PA (Large Suburban setting); Southern Virginia University is in Buena Vista, VA (Distant Town setting).
• Penn State Greater Allegheny is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Southern Virginia University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Greater Allegheny 9:1; Southern Virginia University 14:1.

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. SVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Greater Allegheny or SVU? 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 SVU ($15,574 vs. $24,561).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Virginia University are 31.6% lower than at Penn State Greater Allegheny ($9,894 vs. $14,474).
• Southern Virginia University is 47.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Greater Allegheny (about $6,872 more per year; $21,280.00 vs. $14,408.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 13.4% higher at Penn State Greater Allegheny than at Southern Virginia University (about $2,854 more per year; $24,134.00 vs. $21,280.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Southern Virginia University than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (100% vs. 86%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Greater Allegheny students is 10.8% larger than aid received by Southern Virginia University students ($11,121 vs. $10,041).

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. SVU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Greater Allegheny or SVU? 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 SVU and Penn State Greater Allegheny.

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Penn State Greater Allegheny (1180) is 80 points higher than at SVU (1100).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Penn State Greater Allegheny 1080/1280; Southern Virginia University 943/1253.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresSouthern Virginia University 18/25.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Greater Allegheny - Test optional; SVU - Test-free.
• Penn State Greater Allegheny has a higher acceptance rate (96.5%) than SVU (96.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.5% at Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. 21.4% at SVU.

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. SVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Greater Allegheny and SVU? 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.

• Penn State Greater Allegheny's six-year graduation rate (47%) is higher than Southern Virginia University's (25%).
• Graduates from Penn State Greater Allegheny earn a median of about $14,700 more per year than SVU graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $40,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southern Virginia University graduates have a $3,164 lower median loan debt than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates ($23,654 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, SVU graduates have an estimated $33 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates ($244 vs. $277).
• More Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SVU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 53%)

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.