Wagner College vs. Penn State Altoona

Should I go to Wagner College or Penn State Altoona? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wagner College 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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Wagner College vs. Penn State Altoona comparison
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Wagner College
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Overview

Wagner College Penn State Altoona
Location Staten Island, NY Altoona, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 1,949 2,577
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #269 #584
Religious Affiliation Lutheran Church in America - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wagner.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wagner College Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $49,460 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $49,460 $25,854
Room & Board $15,280 $12,984
Avg Net Price $29,710 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $34,485 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 68%

Admission

Wagner College Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,645 7,523
Admitted 1,813 7,204
Acceptance Rate 68.5% 95.8%
Enrolled % 22.4% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/29 21/28
SAT Range 1090/1290 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 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

Wagner College Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Wagner College Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 67% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,100 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,379 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $272 $277

Diversity

Wagner College Penn State Altoona
% Men 35% 53%
% Women 65% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 77%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

Wagner College Penn State Altoona
% In-State 55% 59%
% Out-of-State 38% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Altoona is larger than than Wagner College based on total student enrollment (2,577 students vs. 1,949 students)

Wagner College vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wagner College or Penn State Altoona?

  • Wagner College is 221.4% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($49,460.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 91.3% higher at Wagner College than Penn State Altoona ($49,460.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than Wagner College ($20,621 vs. $29,710)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 17.7% lower than costs at Wagner College ($12,984 vs. $15,280)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wagner College than Penn State Altoona (100% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wagner College students is 260.2% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($34,485 vs. $9,574)

Wagner College vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Wagner College 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 Wagner College .

  • Accepted freshman Wagner College students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Wagner College (68.5%)

Wagner College vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wagner College 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 Wagner College.

  • The graduation rate at Wagner College is higher than Penn State Altoona (67% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Wagner College earn on average $8,800 more per year than Penn State Altoona graduates after ten years. ($64,100 vs. $55,300)
  • Wagner College students graduate with a $439 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($26,379 vs. $26,818)
  • Wagner College graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($272 vs. $277)
  • More Wagner College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 69%)

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