Ramapo College of New Jersey vs. Penn State Altoona

Should I go to Ramapo College of New Jersey or Penn State Altoona? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Ramapo College of New Jersey or Penn State Altoona 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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Ramapo College of New Jersey vs. Penn State Altoona comparison
Ramapo College of New Jersey Penn State Altoona College 3 College 4
Ramapo College of New Jersey
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Overview

Ramapo College of New Jersey Penn State Altoona
Location Mahwah, NJ Altoona, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 5,521 2,421
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #317 #618
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ramapo.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Ramapo College of New Jersey Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $15,978 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $26,388 $26,112
Room & Board $15,834 $13,820
Avg Net Price $17,348 $22,506
Avg Grant Aid $12,980 $8,730
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 64%

Admission

Ramapo College of New Jersey Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,553 7,134
Admitted 5,530 6,942
Acceptance Rate 73.2% 97.3%
Enrolled % 18.3% 12.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/26 22/27
SAT Range 1120/1270 1050/1260
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Ramapo College of New Jersey Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Ramapo College of New Jersey Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 71% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,846 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $236 $277

Diversity

Ramapo College of New Jersey Penn State Altoona
% Men 3% 0%
% Women 7% 0%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 64% 77%
% Black 5% 7%
% Hispanic 13% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

Ramapo College of New Jersey Penn State Altoona
% In-State 93% 59%
% Out-of-State 6% 35%

Campus

Ramapo College of New Jersey Penn State Altoona
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Ramapo College of New Jersey is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (5,521 students vs. 2,421 students)

Ramapo College of New Jersey vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Ramapo College of New Jersey or Penn State Altoona?

  • Ramapo College of New Jersey is 3.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($15,978.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.1% higher at Ramapo College of New Jersey than Penn State Altoona ($26,388.00 vs. $26,112.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ramapo College of New Jersey than Penn State Altoona ($17,348 vs. $22,506)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 14.6% lower than costs at Ramapo College of New Jersey ($13,820 vs. $15,834)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ramapo College of New Jersey than Penn State Altoona (66% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ramapo College of New Jersey students is 48.7% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($12,980 vs. $8,730)

Ramapo College of New Jersey vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Ramapo College of New Jersey or Penn State Altoona? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State Altoona or Ramapo College of New Jersey .

  • The average SAT score at Ramapo College of New Jersey (1090) is 97 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming Ramapo College of New Jersey students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman Ramapo College of New Jersey students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.47) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than Ramapo College of New Jersey (73.2%)

Ramapo College of New Jersey vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Ramapo College of New Jersey or Penn State Altoona? 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 Penn State Altoona and Ramapo College of New Jersey.

  • The graduation rate at Ramapo College of New Jersey is higher than Penn State Altoona (71% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $3,900 more per year than Ramapo College of New Jersey graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $51,400)
  • Ramapo College of New Jersey students graduate with a $3,972 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($22,846 vs. $26,818)
  • Ramapo College of New Jersey graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($236 vs. $277)
  • More Ramapo College of New Jersey graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 69%)

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