Rider University vs. Penn State Altoona

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

Rider University Penn State Altoona
Location Lawrenceville, NJ Altoona, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 4,054 2,577
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #263 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rider.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Rider University Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $36,000 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $36,000 $25,854
Room & Board $16,130 $12,984
Avg Net Price $26,388 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $26,336 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 68%

Admission

Rider University Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,340 7,523
Admitted 7,858 7,204
Acceptance Rate 84.1% 95.8%
Enrolled % 9.9% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/29 21/28
SAT Range 1100/1300 1050/1250
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

Academics

Rider University Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Education (15%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Rider University Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 63% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,750 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $266 $277

Diversity

Rider University Penn State Altoona
% Men 41% 53%
% Women 59% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 77%
% Black 12% 7%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Rider University Penn State Altoona
% In-State 74% 59%
% Out-of-State 23% 35%

Campus

Rider University 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

  • Rider University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (4,054 students vs. 2,577 students)

Rider University vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rider University or Penn State Altoona?

  • Rider University is 133.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($36,000.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.2% higher at Rider University than Penn State Altoona ($36,000.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than Rider University ($20,621 vs. $26,388)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 24.2% lower than costs at Rider University ($12,984 vs. $16,130)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rider University than Penn State Altoona (99% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rider University students is 175.1% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($26,336 vs. $9,574)

Rider University vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Rider University 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 Rider University .

  • The average SAT score at Rider University (1014) is 21 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming Rider University students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman Rider University students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Rider University (84.1%)

Rider University vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rider University 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 Rider University.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Rider University (65% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $2,300 more per year than Rider University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $53,000)
  • Rider University students graduate with a $1,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($25,750 vs. $26,818)
  • Rider University graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($266 vs. $277)
  • More Rider University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)

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