Penn State Mont Alto vs. SU

Should I go to Penn State Mont Alto or Shenandoah University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Mont Alto or SU 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 Mont Alto vs. Shenandoah University comparison
Penn State Mont Alto Shenandoah University College 3 College 4
Shenandoah University
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Overview

 Penn State Mont Alto SU
Location Mont Alto, PA Winchester, VA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 670 4,260
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #537
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Mont Alto SU
Tuition (In State) $13,824 $33,790
Tuition (Out of State) $23,086 $33,790
Room & Board $12,254 $11,230
Avg Net Price $19,838 $26,143
Avg Grant Aid $9,124 $23,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 79% 100%

Admission

 Penn State Mont Alto SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 678 2,296
Admitted 619 1,845
Acceptance Rate 91.3% 80.4%
Enrolled % 30.7% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA - 3.7
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26
SAT Range 1020/1230 1010/1230
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Penn State Mont Alto SU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (60%)
  • Work and Family Studies (9%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (9%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Mont Alto SU
Graduation Rate 52% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $258

Diversity

 Penn State Mont Alto SU
% Men 41% 32%
% Women 59% 68%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 80% 59%
% Black 8% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 13%

Students

 Penn State Mont Alto SU
% In-State 76% 52%
% Out-of-State 24% 48%

Campus

 Penn State Mont Alto SU
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

  • Shenandoah University is larger than than Penn State Mont Alto based on total student enrollment (4,260 students vs. 670 students)

Penn State Mont Alto vs. SU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Mont Alto or SU?

  • Shenandoah University is 144.4% more expensive to attend than Penn State Mont Alto for in-state tuition ($33,790.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.4% higher at SU than Penn State Mont Alto ($33,790.00 vs. $23,086.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Mont Alto than SU ($19,838 vs. $26,143)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 9.1% lower than costs at Penn State Mont Alto ($11,230 vs. $12,254)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shenandoah University than Penn State Mont Alto (100% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 157.2% larger than aid received Penn State Mont Alto ($23,467 vs. $9,124)

Penn State Mont Alto vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Mont Alto or SU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SU or Penn State Mont Alto .

  • The average SAT score at Shenandoah University (1005) is 50 points higher than at Penn State Mont Alto (955)
  • Incoming SU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Penn State Mont Alto (21)
  • Penn State Mont Alto has a higher acceptance rate (91.3%) than SU (80.4%)

Penn State Mont Alto vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Mont Alto or SU? 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 SU and Penn State Mont Alto.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Mont Alto is higher than Shenandoah University (52% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Mont Alto earn on average $7,000 more per year than SU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $48,300)
  • Shenandoah University students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Mont Alto graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
  • SU graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Mont Alto graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Mont Alto graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 60%)

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