Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. WVU

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Greater Allegheny in McKeesport, PA with West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

West Virginia University is larger than Penn State Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (23,643 students vs. 352 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Greater Allegheny is located in McKeesport, PA (Large Suburban setting); West Virginia University is in Morgantown, WV (Small City setting).
• Penn State Greater Allegheny is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. West Virginia University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Greater Allegheny 9:1; West Virginia University 19:1.

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Greater Allegheny or WVU? 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 West Virginia University than Penn State Greater Allegheny ($15,169 vs. $15,574).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Greater Allegheny are 0.7% lower than at West Virginia University ($14,474 vs. $14,582).
• Penn State Greater Allegheny is 42.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than WVU (about $4,304 more per year; $14,408.00 vs. $10,104.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 18.5% higher at WVU than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (about $4,474 more per year; $28,608.00 vs. $24,134.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at West Virginia University than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (94% vs. 86%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by West Virginia University students is 11.2% larger than aid received by Penn State Greater Allegheny students ($12,363 vs. $11,121).

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. WVU Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at Penn State Greater Allegheny (1180) is 60 points higher than at WVU (1120).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Penn State Greater Allegheny 1080/1280; West Virginia University 1010/1220.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresWest Virginia University 20/26.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Greater Allegheny - Test optional; WVU - Test optional.
• Penn State Greater Allegheny has a higher acceptance rate (96.5%) than WVU (89%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.5% at Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. 24.8% at WVU.

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. WVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

• West Virginia University's six-year graduation rate (57%) is higher than Penn State Greater Allegheny's (47%).
• Graduates from Penn State Greater Allegheny earn a median of about $4,700 more per year than WVU graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $50,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, West Virginia University graduates have a $2,817 lower median loan debt than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates ($24,001 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, WVU graduates have an estimated $29 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates ($248 vs. $277).
• More Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WVU 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.