UM-Dearborn vs. Penn State Altoona

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

UM-Dearborn Penn State Altoona
Location Dearborn, MI Altoona, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 8,223 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #446 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umich.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UM-Dearborn Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $13,920 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $29,184 $25,854
Room & Board $9,048 $12,984
Avg Net Price $12,444 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $10,761 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 68%

Admission

UM-Dearborn Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,026 7,523
Admitted 6,506 7,204
Acceptance Rate 54.1% 95.8%
Enrolled % 15.4% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/28 21/28
SAT Range 1010/1290 1050/1250
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, 2025

Academics

UM-Dearborn Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

UM-Dearborn Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 49% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,750 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $266 $277

Diversity

UM-Dearborn Penn State Altoona
% Men 55% 53%
% Women 45% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 77%
% Black 9% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

UM-Dearborn Penn State Altoona
% In-State 94% 59%
% Out-of-State 4% 35%

Campus

UM-Dearborn Penn State Altoona
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Michigan Dearborn is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (8,223 students vs. 2,577 students)

UM-Dearborn vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UM-Dearborn or Penn State Altoona?

  • Penn State Altoona is 10.5% more expensive to attend than UM-Dearborn for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $13,920.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.9% higher at UM-Dearborn than Penn State Altoona ($29,184.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Michigan Dearborn than Penn State Altoona ($12,444 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Michigan Dearborn are 43.5% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($9,048 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Michigan Dearborn than Penn State Altoona (92% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Michigan Dearborn students is 12.4% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($10,761 vs. $9,574)

UM-Dearborn vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UM-Dearborn 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 UM-Dearborn .

  • The average SAT score at University of Michigan Dearborn (1105) is 112 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming UM-Dearborn students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman UM-Dearborn students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than UM-Dearborn (54.1%)

UM-Dearborn vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UM-Dearborn 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 UM-Dearborn.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than University of Michigan Dearborn (65% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $2,500 more per year than UM-Dearborn graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $52,800)
  • University of Michigan Dearborn students graduate with a $1,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($25,750 vs. $26,818)
  • UM-Dearborn graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($266 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UM-Dearborn students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 46%)

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