AASU vs. Penn State Altoona

Should I go to Armstrong State University or Penn State Altoona? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AASU 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Armstrong State University vs. Penn State Altoona comparison
Armstrong State University Penn State Altoona College 3 College 4
Armstrong State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

AASU Penn State Altoona
Location Savannah, GA Altoona, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 7,041 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website armstrong.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AASU Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $3,965 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $14,426 $25,854
Room & Board $10,176 $12,984
Avg Net Price $12,404 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $6,960 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 84% 68%

Admission

AASU Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 7,523
Admitted - 7,204
Acceptance Rate 95.8%
Enrolled % 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.24 3.4
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28
SAT Range 1050/1250
Submit Test Scores Required Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

AASU Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 0:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

AASU Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 32% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 48% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,250 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $219 $277

Diversity

AASU Penn State Altoona
% Men 0% 53%
% Women 0% 47%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 77%
% Black 25% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

AASU Penn State Altoona
% In-State - 59%
% Out-of-State - 35%

Campus

AASU Penn State Altoona
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Armstrong State University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (7,041 students vs. 2,577 students)

AASU vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Altoona is 288.1% more expensive to attend than AASU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $3,965.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 79.2% higher at Penn State Altoona than Armstrong State University ($25,854.00 vs. $14,426.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Armstrong State University than Penn State Altoona ($12,404 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Armstrong State University are 27.6% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($10,176 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Armstrong State University than Penn State Altoona (84% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 37.6% larger than aid received Armstrong State University ($9,574 vs. $6,960)

Which college is harder to get into, AASU 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 AASU .

  • The average SAT score at Armstrong State University (997) is 4 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming Penn State Altoona students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at AASU (21)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at AASU (3.24)

AASU vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AASU 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 AASU .

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Armstrong State University (65% vs. 32%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $12,900 more per year than AASU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $42,400)
  • Armstrong State University students graduate with a $5,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($21,250 vs. $26,818)
  • AASU graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($219 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AASU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 48%)

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