Youngstown State vs. Penn State Altoona

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

Youngstown State Penn State Altoona
Location Youngstown, OH Altoona, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 11,040 2,421
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #971 #618
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ysu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Youngstown State Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $10,723 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $11,083 $26,112
Room & Board $10,384 $13,820
Avg Net Price $11,740 $22,506
Avg Grant Aid $8,114 $8,730
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 64%

Admission

Youngstown State Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,799 7,134
Admitted 4,658 6,942
Acceptance Rate 80.3%Open 97.3%
Enrolled % 28.3%Open 12.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 22/27
SAT Range 940/1210 1050/1260
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, 2026

Academics

Youngstown State Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Engineering Technology (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Youngstown State Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 35% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 36% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

Youngstown State Penn State Altoona
% Men 10% 0%
% Women 14% 0%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 77%
% Black 11% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Youngstown State Penn State Altoona
% In-State 72% 59%
% Out-of-State 15% 35%

Campus

Youngstown State 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

  • Youngstown State University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (11,040 students vs. 2,421 students)

Youngstown State vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Youngstown State or Penn State Altoona?

  • Penn State Altoona is 43.5% more expensive to attend than Youngstown State for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $10,723.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 135.6% higher at Penn State Altoona than Youngstown State University ($26,112.00 vs. $11,083.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Youngstown State University than Penn State Altoona ($11,740 vs. $22,506)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Youngstown State University are 33.1% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($10,384 vs. $13,820)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Youngstown State University than Penn State Altoona (92% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 7.6% larger than aid received Youngstown State University ($8,730 vs. $8,114)

Youngstown State vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Youngstown State 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 Youngstown State .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Altoona (993) is 12 points higher than at Youngstown State (981)
  • Incoming Penn State Altoona students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Youngstown State (21)
  • Accepted freshman Youngstown State students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than Youngstown State (80.3%)

Youngstown State vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Youngstown State 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 Youngstown State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Youngstown State University (65% vs. 35%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $17,600 more per year than Youngstown State graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $37,700)
  • Penn State Altoona students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Youngstown State graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Altoona graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Youngstown State graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Youngstown State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 36%)

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