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Penn State Berks Penn State Harrisburg ECSU SCSU Penn State Abington CCSU University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Penn State Erie-Behrend College Penn State Penn State Mont Alto Buffalo State College OSU-Oklahoma City| Western Connecticut State University | Penn State Altoona | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
WestConn | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Location | Danbury, CT | Altoona, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 4,417 | 2,577 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #466 | #584 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wcsu.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WestConn | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $6,464 | $15,388 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $19,358 | $25,854 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,568 | $12,984 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,862 | $20,621 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,057 | $9,574 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 72% | 68% |
Admission |
WestConn | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,093 | 7,523 | ||
| Admitted | 4,253 | 7,204 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 83.5% | 95.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 14.8% | 12.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.38 | 3.4 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/29 | 21/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1010/1230 | 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 |
Academics |
WestConn | Penn State Altoona | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 11:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
WestConn | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Graduation Rate | 40% | 65% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,400 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 65% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $277 |
Diversity |
WestConn | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 45% | 53% | ||
| % Women | 55% | 47% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 61% | 77% | ||
| % Black | 12% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 18% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 1% | 2% | ||
| % International | 0% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 1% |
Students |
WestConn | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 70% | 59% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 30% | 35% | ||
Campus |
WestConn | 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
- Western Connecticut State University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (4,417 students vs. 2,577 students)
WestConn vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WestConn or Penn State Altoona?
- Penn State Altoona is 138.1% more expensive to attend than WestConn for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $6,464.00)
- Out of state tuition is 33.6% higher at Penn State Altoona than Western Connecticut State University ($25,854.00 vs. $19,358.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Connecticut State University than Penn State Altoona ($15,862 vs. $20,621)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 12.2% lower than costs at Western Connecticut State University ($12,984 vs. $14,568)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Western Connecticut State University than Penn State Altoona (72% vs. 68%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 5.7% larger than aid received Western Connecticut State University ($9,574 vs. $9,057)
WestConn vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WestConn 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 WestConn .
- Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at WestConn (3.38)
- Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than WestConn (83.5%)
WestConn vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WestConn 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 WestConn.
- The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Western Connecticut State University (65% vs. 40%)
- Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $7,900 more per year than WestConn graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $47,400)
- Western Connecticut State University students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
- WestConn graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
- More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WestConn students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 65%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/