Rutgers University-Newark vs. Penn State Altoona

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

Rutgers University-Newark Penn State Altoona
Location Newark, NJ Altoona, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 11,017 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #181 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rutgers.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Rutgers University-Newark Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $12,900 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $30,600 $25,854
Room & Board $14,343 $12,984
Avg Net Price $16,578 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $13,168 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 68%

Admission

Rutgers University-Newark Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,935 7,523
Admitted 11,043 7,204
Acceptance Rate 73.9% 95.8%
Enrolled % 11.2% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.4
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 21/28
SAT Range 1030/1270 1050/1250
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

Rutgers University-Newark Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Rutgers University-Newark Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 68% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,215 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $229 $277

Diversity

Rutgers University-Newark Penn State Altoona
% Men 47% 53%
% Women 53% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 25% 77%
% Black 19% 7%
% Hispanic 27% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Rutgers University-Newark Penn State Altoona
% In-State 93% 59%
% Out-of-State 2% 35%

Campus

Rutgers University-Newark 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

  • Rutgers University Newark is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (11,017 students vs. 2,577 students)

Rutgers University-Newark vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rutgers University-Newark or Penn State Altoona?

  • Penn State Altoona is 19.3% more expensive to attend than Rutgers University-Newark for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $12,900.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.4% higher at Rutgers University-Newark than Penn State Altoona ($30,600.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rutgers University Newark than Penn State Altoona ($16,578 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 10.5% lower than costs at Rutgers University Newark ($12,984 vs. $14,343)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rutgers University Newark than Penn State Altoona (94% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rutgers University Newark students is 37.5% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($13,168 vs. $9,574)

Rutgers University-Newark vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Rutgers University-Newark 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 Rutgers University-Newark .

  • The average SAT score at Rutgers University Newark (1030) is 37 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at Rutgers University-Newark (3.23)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Rutgers University-Newark (73.9%)

Rutgers University-Newark vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rutgers University-Newark 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 Rutgers University-Newark.

  • The graduation rate at Rutgers University-Newark is higher than Penn State Altoona (68% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Rutgers University Newark earn on average $10,900 more per year than Penn State Altoona graduates after ten years. ($66,200 vs. $55,300)
  • Rutgers University Newark students graduate with a $4,603 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($22,215 vs. $26,818)
  • Rutgers University-Newark graduates are paying $48 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($229 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers University-Newark students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 68%)

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