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UMBC Maryland Salisbury Penn State Berks WCU Penn State Harrisburg Frostburg State University WVU Stevenson University Howard Bowie State University Goucher College| Towson University | Penn State Altoona | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
TU | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Location | Towson, MD | Altoona, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 19,527 | 2,421 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #375 | #618 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | towson.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
TU | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $7,382 | $15,388 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $24,402 | $26,112 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,644 | $13,820 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,064 | $22,506 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,565 | $8,730 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 62% | 64% |
Admission |
TU | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 18,948 | 7,134 | ||
| Admitted | 15,689 | 6,942 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 82.8% | 97.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 19.2% | 12.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.69 | 3.4 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/28 | 22/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1050/1270 | 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 | Apr 1, 2026 |
Academics |
TU | Penn State Altoona | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
TU | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Graduation Rate | 64% | 65% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,500 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,750 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $183 | $277 |
Diversity |
TU | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 12% | 0% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 61% | 77% | ||
| % Black | 18% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 2% | ||
| % International | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
TU | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 90% | 59% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 9% | 35% | ||
Campus |
TU | 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
- Towson University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (19,527 students vs. 2,421 students)
TU vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, TU or Penn State Altoona?
- Penn State Altoona is 108.5% more expensive to attend than TU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,382.00)
- Out of state tuition is 7% higher at Penn State Altoona than Towson University ($26,112.00 vs. $24,402.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than Penn State Altoona ($15,064 vs. $22,506)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 13.2% lower than costs at Towson University ($13,820 vs. $15,644)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Altoona than Towson University (64% vs. 62%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Towson University students is 32.5% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($11,565 vs. $8,730)
TU vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, TU 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 TU .
- The average SAT score at Towson University (1081) is 88 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
- Incoming TU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
- Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
- Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than TU (82.8%)
TU vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, TU 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 TU.
- The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Towson University (65% vs. 64%)
- Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $1,800 more per year than TU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $53,500)
- Towson University students graduate with a $9,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($17,750 vs. $26,818)
- TU graduates are paying $94 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($183 vs. $277)
- More TU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/