St. Mary's vs. Penn State Altoona

Comparable Facts

Compare St. Mary's College of Maryland in St. Mary's City, MD with Penn State Altoona in Altoona, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Altoona is larger than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (2,371 students vs. 1,630 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• St. Mary's College of Maryland is located in St. Mary's City, MD (Distant Rural setting); Penn State Altoona is in Altoona, PA (Small City setting).
• St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Altoona is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. Mary's College of Maryland 10:1; Penn State Altoona 13:1.

St. Mary's vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or Penn State Altoona? 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 St. Mary's College of Maryland than Penn State Altoona ($21,071 vs. $21,618).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 10% lower than at St. Mary's College of Maryland ($14,474 vs. $16,079).
• Penn State Altoona is 4.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than St. Mary's (about $674 more per year; $15,972.00 vs. $15,298.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 16.4% higher at St. Mary's than at Penn State Altoona (about $4,416 more per year; $31,374.00 vs. $26,958.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. Mary's College of Maryland than at Penn State Altoona (98% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by St. Mary's College of Maryland students is 2.8% larger than aid received by Penn State Altoona students ($11,398 vs. $11,088).

St. Mary's vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St. Mary's or Penn State Altoona? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State Altoona and St. Mary's.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at St. Mary's College of Maryland (1240) is 60 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (1180).
• Incoming St. Mary's students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 25 at Penn State Altoona).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 1143/1340; Penn State Altoona 1070/1290.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. Mary's College of Maryland 26/31; Penn State Altoona 22/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St. Mary's - Test optional; Penn State Altoona - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: St. Mary's Jan 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman St. Mary's students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4).
• Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than St. Mary's (68.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.3% at St. Mary's vs. 10.3% at Penn State Altoona.

St. Mary's vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St. Mary's and Penn State Altoona? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• St. Mary's College of Maryland's six-year graduation rate (79%) is higher than Penn State Altoona's (65%).
• Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn a median of about $3,800 more per year than St. Mary's graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $51,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. Mary's College of Maryland graduates have a $6,448 lower median loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates ($20,370 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, St. Mary's graduates have an estimated $67 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Altoona graduates ($210 vs. $277).
• More St. Mary's graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 69%)

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.