BSC vs. Penn State Altoona

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

 BSC Penn State Altoona
Location Bismarck, ND Altoona, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 3,771 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bismarckstate.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSC Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $4,167 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $6,251 $25,854
Room & Board $7,830 $12,984
Avg Net Price $11,309 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $4,239 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 70% 68%

Admission

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

Academics

 BSC Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (41%)
  • Engineering Technology (27%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Construction Trades (5%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

 BSC Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate - 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,041 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $114 $277

Diversity

 BSC Penn State Altoona
% Men 52% 53%
% Women 48% 47%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 86% 77%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 BSC Penn State Altoona
% In-State 89% 59%
% Out-of-State 10% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bismarck State College is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (3,771 students vs. 2,577 students)

BSC vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Altoona is 269.3% more expensive to attend than BSC for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $4,167.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 313.6% higher at Penn State Altoona than Bismarck State College ($25,854.00 vs. $6,251.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bismarck State College than Penn State Altoona ($11,309 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bismarck State College are 65.8% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($7,830 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bismarck State College than Penn State Altoona (70% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 125.9% larger than aid received Bismarck State College ($9,574 vs. $4,239)

Which college is harder to get into, BSC 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 BSC .

BSC vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BSC 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 BSC.

  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $6,100 more per year than BSC graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $49,200)
  • Bismarck State College students graduate with a $15,777 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($11,041 vs. $26,818)
  • BSC graduates are paying $163 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($114 vs. $277)
  • More BSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 69%)

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