Bowie State University vs. Penn State Altoona

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

Bowie State University Penn State Altoona
Location Bowie, MD Altoona, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 6,275 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #962 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bowiestate.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bowie State University Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $5,811 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $16,533 $25,854
Room & Board $12,468 $12,984
Avg Net Price $13,886 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $9,463 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 68%

Admission

Bowie State University Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,445 7,523
Admitted 4,712 7,204
Acceptance Rate 86.5% 95.8%
Enrolled % 25.2% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.12 3.4
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28
SAT Range 800/1048 1050/1250
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 May 15, 2024

Academics

Bowie State University Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communications Technology (10%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Bowie State University Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 41% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,500 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 29% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,391 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $252 $277

Diversity

Bowie State University Penn State Altoona
% Men 37% 53%
% Women 63% 47%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 3% 77%
% Black 86% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Bowie State University Penn State Altoona
% In-State 78% 59%
% Out-of-State 19% 35%

Campus

Bowie State University 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

  • Bowie State University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (6,275 students vs. 2,577 students)

Bowie State University vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bowie State University or Penn State Altoona?

  • Penn State Altoona is 164.8% more expensive to attend than Bowie State University for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $5,811.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56.4% higher at Penn State Altoona than Bowie State University ($25,854.00 vs. $16,533.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bowie State University than Penn State Altoona ($13,886 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bowie State University are 4.1% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($12,468 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bowie State University than Penn State Altoona (76% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 1.2% larger than aid received Bowie State University ($9,574 vs. $9,463)

Bowie State University vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bowie State University 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 Bowie State University .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Altoona (993) is 110 points higher than at Bowie State University (883)
  • Incoming Penn State Altoona students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Bowie State University (18)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at Bowie State University (3.12)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Bowie State University (86.5%)

Bowie State University vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bowie State University 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 Bowie State University.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Bowie State University (65% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $4,800 more per year than Bowie State University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $50,500)
  • Bowie State University students graduate with a $2,427 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($24,391 vs. $26,818)
  • Bowie State University graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($252 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bowie State University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 29%)

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