CSU Bakersfield vs. Penn State Altoona

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

 CSU Bakersfield Penn State Altoona
Location Bakersfield, CA Altoona, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 9,613 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csub.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSU Bakersfield Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $25,854
Room & Board $14,230 $12,984
Avg Net Price $7,521 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $10,750 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 68%

Admission

 CSU Bakersfield Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,834 7,523
Admitted 11,973 7,204
Acceptance Rate 86.5% 95.8%
Enrolled % 9.2% 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 considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2023

Academics

 CSU Bakersfield Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

 CSU Bakersfield Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 41% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,168 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $136 $277

Diversity

 CSU Bakersfield Penn State Altoona
% Men 33% 53%
% Women 67% 47%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 20% 77%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 54% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 CSU Bakersfield Penn State Altoona
% In-State 96% 59%
% Out-of-State 1% 35%

Campus

 CSU Bakersfield 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

  • California State University Bakersfield is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (9,613 students vs. 2,577 students)

CSU Bakersfield vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU Bakersfield or Penn State Altoona?

  • Penn State Altoona is 168% more expensive to attend than CSU Bakersfield for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.7% higher at Penn State Altoona than California State University Bakersfield ($25,854.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Bakersfield than Penn State Altoona ($7,521 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 9.6% lower than costs at California State University Bakersfield ($12,984 vs. $14,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Bakersfield than Penn State Altoona (88% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Bakersfield students is 12.3% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($10,750 vs. $9,574)

CSU Bakersfield vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU Bakersfield 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 CSU Bakersfield .

  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than CSU Bakersfield (86.5%)

CSU Bakersfield vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU Bakersfield 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 CSU Bakersfield.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than California State University Bakersfield (65% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $7,000 more per year than CSU Bakersfield graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $48,300)
  • California State University Bakersfield students graduate with a $13,650 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($13,168 vs. $26,818)
  • CSU Bakersfield graduates are paying $141 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($136 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU Bakersfield students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 54%)

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