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Michigan State UM-Dearborn Oakland Detroit Mercy- UDM- U of D- University of Detroit Eastern Michigan University Penn State Berks CMU Michigan GVSU WMU Penn State Harrisburg Cleveland State| Wayne State University | Penn State Altoona | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
WSU | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Location | Detroit, MI | Altoona, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 23,630 | 2,577 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #582 | #584 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wayne.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WSU | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $12,933 | $15,388 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $29,622 | $25,854 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,321 | $12,984 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,347 | $20,621 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,605 | $9,574 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 96% | 68% |
Admission |
WSU | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 14,002 | 7,523 | ||
| Admitted | 10,547 | 7,204 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 75.3% | 95.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 24.4% | 12.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.4 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 21/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1040/1260 | 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 | Aug 1, 2025 |
Academics |
WSU | Penn State Altoona | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
WSU | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Graduation Rate | 26% | 65% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $51,000 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 38% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,258 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $230 | $277 |
Diversity |
WSU | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 40% | 53% | ||
| % Women | 60% | 47% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 57% | 77% | ||
| % Black | 19% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
WSU | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 59% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 35% | ||
Campus |
WSU | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Wayne State University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 2,577 students)
WSU vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WSU or Penn State Altoona?
- Penn State Altoona is 19% more expensive to attend than WSU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $12,933.00)
- Out of state tuition is 14.6% higher at WSU than Penn State Altoona ($29,622.00 vs. $25,854.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than Penn State Altoona ($15,347 vs. $20,621)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State University are 14.7% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($11,321 vs. $12,984)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Wayne State University than Penn State Altoona (96% vs. 68%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Wayne State University students is 10.8% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($10,605 vs. $9,574)
WSU vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WSU 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 WSU .
- The average SAT score at Wayne State University (1070) is 77 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
- Incoming WSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
- Accepted freshman WSU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
- Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than WSU (75.3%)
WSU vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WSU 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 WSU.
- The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Wayne State University (65% vs. 26%)
- Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $4,300 more per year than WSU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $51,000)
- Wayne State University students graduate with a $4,560 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($22,258 vs. $26,818)
- WSU graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($230 vs. $277)
- More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 38%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/