University at Albany- SUNY vs. Penn State Altoona

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

 University at Albany- SUNY Penn State Altoona
Location Albany, NY Altoona, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 16,880 2,421
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #242 #618
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website albany.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 University at Albany- SUNY Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $25,660 $26,112
Room & Board $16,182 $13,820
Avg Net Price $19,165 $22,506
Avg Grant Aid $9,747 $8,730
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 64%

Admission

 University at Albany- SUNY Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,740 7,134
Admitted 21,477 6,942
Acceptance Rate 69.9% 97.3%
Enrolled % 13.2% 12.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/31 22/27
SAT Range 1120/1320 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

 University at Albany- SUNY Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

 University at Albany- SUNY Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 64% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,065 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $217 $277

Diversity

 University at Albany- SUNY Penn State Altoona
% Men 11% 0%
% Women 17% 0%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 49% 77%
% Black 16% 7%
% Hispanic 15% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 6% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 University at Albany- SUNY Penn State Altoona
% In-State 93% 59%
% Out-of-State 4% 35%

Campus

 University at Albany- SUNY Penn State Altoona
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY at Albany is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (16,880 students vs. 2,421 students)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University at Albany- SUNY or Penn State Altoona?

  • Penn State Altoona is 117.7% more expensive to attend than University at Albany- SUNY for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.8% higher at Penn State Altoona than SUNY at Albany ($26,112.00 vs. $25,660.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Albany than Penn State Altoona ($19,165 vs. $22,506)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 17.1% lower than costs at SUNY at Albany ($13,820 vs. $16,182)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Albany than Penn State Altoona (93% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Albany students is 11.6% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($9,747 vs. $8,730)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University at Albany- SUNY 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 University at Albany- SUNY .

  • The average SAT score at SUNY at Albany (1091) is 98 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming University at Albany- SUNY students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at University at Albany- SUNY (3.3)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than University at Albany- SUNY (69.9%)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University at Albany- SUNY 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 University at Albany- SUNY.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than SUNY at Albany (65% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from SUNY at Albany earn on average $500 more per year than Penn State Altoona graduates after ten years. ($55,800 vs. $55,300)
  • SUNY at Albany students graduate with a $5,753 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($21,065 vs. $26,818)
  • University at Albany- SUNY graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($217 vs. $277)
  • More University at Albany- SUNY graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 69%)

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