Chowan University vs. Penn State Altoona

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

 Chowan University Penn State Altoona
Location Murfreesboro, NC Altoona, PA
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 886 2,577
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #584
Religious Affiliation Southern Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website chowan.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Chowan University Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $25,880 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $25,880 $25,854
Room & Board $9,650 $12,984
Avg Net Price $17,334 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $20,580 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 68%

Admission

 Chowan University Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,259 7,523
Admitted 1,958 7,204
Acceptance Rate 86.7% 95.8%
Enrolled % 11% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 2.89 3.4
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/25 21/28
SAT Range 880/1085 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

Academics

 Chowan University Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (12%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

 Chowan University Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 30% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,600 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 32% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $35,150 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $363 $277

Diversity

 Chowan University Penn State Altoona
% Men 59% 53%
% Women 41% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 17% 77%
% Black 71% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Chowan University Penn State Altoona
% In-State 44% 59%
% Out-of-State 46% 35%

Campus

 Chowan University 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

  • Penn State Altoona is larger than than Chowan University based on total student enrollment (2,577 students vs. 886 students)

Chowan University vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • Chowan University is 68.2% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($25,880.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.1% higher at Chowan University than Penn State Altoona ($25,880.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Chowan University than Penn State Altoona ($17,334 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Chowan University are 34.5% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($9,650 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Chowan University than Penn State Altoona (100% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Chowan University students is 115% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($20,580 vs. $9,574)

Chowan University vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Chowan 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 Chowan University .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Altoona (993) is 220 points higher than at Chowan University (773)
  • Incoming Penn State Altoona students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Chowan University (16)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at Chowan University (2.89)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Chowan University (86.7%)

Chowan University vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Chowan 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 Chowan University.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Chowan University (65% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $20,700 more per year than Chowan University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $34,600)
  • Penn State Altoona students graduate with a $8,332 lower median federal student loan debt than Chowan University graduates. ($26,818 vs. $35,150)
  • Penn State Altoona graduates are paying $86 less per month on federal student loans than Chowan University graduates. ($277 vs. $363)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Chowan University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 32%)

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