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Penn State Berks Penn State Harrisburg UMBC TU Penn State Abington University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Maryland Penn State Erie-Behrend College Penn State Mason Salisbury Penn State Mont Alto| St Mary's College of Maryland | Penn State Altoona | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
St. Mary's | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Location | St. Mary's City, MD | Altoona, PA | ||
| Setting | Distant Rural | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,587 | 2,421 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #148 | #618 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | smcm.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
St. Mary's | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $12,116 | $15,388 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $28,192 | $26,112 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,672 | $13,820 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,679 | $22,506 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,016 | $8,730 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 98% | 64% |
Admission |
St. Mary's | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 3,109 | 7,134 | ||
| Admitted | 2,344 | 6,942 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 75.4% | 97.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.9% | 12.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.45 | 3.4 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 24/30 | 22/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1110/1330 | 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 | Jan 15, 2025 |
Academics |
St. Mary's | Penn State Altoona | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
St. Mary's | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Graduation Rate | 79% | 65% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,500 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 82% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $20,370 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $210 | $277 |
Diversity |
St. Mary's | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 71% | 77% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 2% | ||
| % International | 1% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
St. Mary's | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 86% | 59% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 14% | 35% | ||
Campus |
St. Mary's | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Altoona is larger than than St. Mary's based on total student enrollment (2,421 students vs. 1,587 students)
St. Mary's vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, St. Mary's or Penn State Altoona?
- Penn State Altoona is 27% more expensive to attend than St. Mary's for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $12,116.00)
- Out of state tuition is 8% higher at St. Mary's than Penn State Altoona ($28,192.00 vs. $26,112.00)
- 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 ($20,679 vs. $22,506)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 6.2% lower than costs at St Mary's College of Maryland ($13,820 vs. $14,672)
- More students receive financial grant aid at St Mary's College of Maryland than Penn State Altoona (98% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by St Mary's College of Maryland students is 26.2% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($11,016 vs. $8,730)
St. Mary's vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, St. Mary's 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 St. Mary's .
- The average SAT score at St Mary's College of Maryland (1145) is 152 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
- Incoming St. Mary's students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
- 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 (97.3%) than St. Mary's (75.4%)
St. Mary's vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, St. Mary's 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 St. Mary's.
- The graduation rate at St. Mary's is higher than Penn State Altoona (79% vs. 65%)
- Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $3,800 more per year than St. Mary's graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $51,500)
- St Mary's College of Maryland students graduate with a $6,448 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($20,370 vs. $26,818)
- St. Mary's graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans 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/