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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
SUNY at Albany vs. Penn State Altoona comparison
SUNY at Albany Penn State Altoona College 3 College 4
SUNY at Albany
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

University at Albany- SUNY Penn State Altoona
Location Albany, NY Altoona, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 16,658 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #242 #584
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) $24,910 $25,854
Room & Board $15,598 $12,984
Avg Net Price $17,714 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $11,485 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 68%

Admission

University at Albany- SUNY Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,976 7,523
Admitted 17,639 7,204
Acceptance Rate 67.9% 95.8%
Enrolled % 15% 12.6%
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 21/28
SAT Range 1120/1320 1050/1250
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025

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 43% 53%
% Women 57% 47%
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 92% 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 (16,658 students vs. 2,577 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 3.8% higher at Penn State Altoona than SUNY at Albany ($25,854.00 vs. $24,910.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Albany than Penn State Altoona ($17,714 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 20.1% lower than costs at SUNY at Albany ($12,984 vs. $15,598)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Albany than Penn State Altoona (95% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Albany students is 20% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($11,485 vs. $9,574)

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 (95.8%) than University at Albany- SUNY (67.9%)

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/