University of West Alabama vs. PennWest Clarion

Should I go to University of West Alabama or PennWest Clarion? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of West Alabama or PennWest Clarion 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 West Alabama vs. PennWest Clarion comparison
University of West Alabama PennWest Clarion College 3 College 4
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Overview

 University of West Alabama PennWest Clarion
Location Livingston, AL Clarion, PA
Setting Remote Rural Remote Town
Enrollment 5,860 3,922
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1007
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uwa.edu clarion.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 University of West Alabama PennWest Clarion
Tuition (In State) $9,100 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $18,200 $11,574
Room & Board $7,820 $12,930
Avg Net Price $13,786 -
Avg Grant Aid $9,291 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 0%

Admission

 University of West Alabama PennWest Clarion
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,131 -
Admitted 2,156 -
Acceptance Rate 68.9%
Enrolled % 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.16 3.5
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/21
SAT Range 880/980
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 10, 2025

Academics

 University of West Alabama PennWest Clarion
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (27%)
  • Health Professions (24%)
  • Business (14%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

 University of West Alabama PennWest Clarion
Graduation Rate 28% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,500 $39,200
Making Student Loan Payments 36% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,489 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $273 $268

Diversity

 University of West Alabama PennWest Clarion
% Men 25% 28%
% Women 75% 72%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 45% 83%
% Black 40% 8%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 University of West Alabama PennWest Clarion
% In-State 81% 94%
% Out-of-State 13% 5%

Campus

 University of West Alabama PennWest Clarion
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of West Alabama is larger than than PennWest Clarion based on total student enrollment (5,860 students vs. 3,922 students)

University of West Alabama vs. PennWest Clarion Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of West Alabama or PennWest Clarion?

  • University of West Alabama is 17.9% more expensive to attend than PennWest Clarion for in-state tuition ($9,100.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.2% higher at University of West Alabama than PennWest Clarion ($18,200.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of West Alabama are 65.3% lower than costs at PennWest Clarion ($7,820 vs. $12,930)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of West Alabama than PennWest Clarion (89% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of West Alabama students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest Clarion ($9,291 vs. $0)

Which college is harder to get into, University of West Alabama or PennWest Clarion? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between PennWest Clarion or University of West Alabama .

  • The average SAT score at PennWest Clarion (934) is 4 points higher than at University of West Alabama (930)
  • Incoming University of West Alabama students have at the same average ACT score (20) as students at PennWest Clarion (20)
  • Accepted freshman PennWest Clarion students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at University of West Alabama (3.16)

University of West Alabama vs. PennWest Clarion Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of West Alabama or PennWest Clarion? 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 PennWest Clarion and University of West Alabama.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest Clarion is higher than University of West Alabama (49% vs. 28%)
  • Graduates from PennWest Clarion earn on average $700 more per year than University of West Alabama graduates after ten years. ($39,200 vs. $38,500)
  • PennWest Clarion students graduate with a $489 lower median federal student loan debt than University of West Alabama graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,489)
  • PennWest Clarion graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than University of West Alabama graduates. ($268 vs. $273)
  • More PennWest Clarion graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of West Alabama students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 36%)

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