ATU vs. PennWest California

Should I go to Arkansas Tech University or PennWest California? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ATU or PennWest California 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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Arkansas Tech University vs. PennWest California comparison
Arkansas Tech University PennWest California College 3 College 4
Arkansas Tech University PennWest California
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Overview

ATU PennWest California
Location Russellville, AR California, PA
Setting Remote Town Town Fringe
Enrollment 9,487 6,509
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #927 #1038
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website atu.edu calu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ATU PennWest California
Tuition (In State) $5,995 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $11,989 $11,574
Room & Board $9,852 $10,416
Avg Net Price $11,443 -
Avg Grant Aid $9,680 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 0%

Admission

ATU PennWest California
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,904 -
Admitted 4,722 -
Acceptance Rate 96.3%
Enrolled % 31.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.31
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 18/24
SAT Range 940/1150 940/1150
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

ATU PennWest California
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)

Outcomes

ATU PennWest California
Graduation Rate 43% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $42,500
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,750 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $183 $258

Diversity

ATU PennWest California
% Men 3% 39%
% Women 4% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 77%
% Black 10% 12%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

ATU PennWest California
% In-State 94% 86%
% Out-of-State 5% 13%

Campus

ATU PennWest California
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Arkansas Tech University is larger than than PennWest California based on total student enrollment (9,487 students vs. 6,509 students)

ATU vs. PennWest California Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ATU or PennWest California?

  • PennWest California is 28.7% more expensive to attend than ATU for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $5,995.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.6% higher at ATU than PennWest California ($11,989.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Arkansas Tech University are 5.7% lower than costs at PennWest California ($9,852 vs. $10,416)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Arkansas Tech University than PennWest California (93% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Arkansas Tech University students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($9,680 vs. $0)

Which college is harder to get into, ATU or PennWest California? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between PennWest California or ATU .

  • Accepted freshman ATU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at PennWest California (3.31)

ATU vs. PennWest California Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ATU or PennWest California? 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 PennWest California and ATU.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than Arkansas Tech University (53% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from PennWest California earn on average $5,400 more per year than ATU graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $37,100)
  • Arkansas Tech University students graduate with a $7,250 lower median federal student loan debt than PennWest California graduates. ($17,750 vs. $25,000)
  • ATU graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than PennWest California graduates. ($183 vs. $258)
  • More PennWest California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ATU students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 51%)

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