Dowling College vs. Penn State Altoona

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

Dowling College Penn State Altoona
Location Oakdale, NY Altoona, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 2,256 2,577
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website dowling.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Dowling College Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $29,100 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $29,100 $25,854
Room & Board $10,770 $12,984
Avg Net Price $22,931 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $17,480 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 68%

Admission

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

Academics

Dowling College Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 0:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (28%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Dowling College Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 39% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $263 $277

Diversity

Dowling College Penn State Altoona
% Men 0% 53%
% Women 0% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 31% 77%
% Black 11% 7%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 4% 5%
% Unknown Race 42% 1%

Students

Dowling College Penn State Altoona
% In-State - 59%
% Out-of-State - 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Altoona is larger than than Dowling College based on total student enrollment (2,577 students vs. 2,256 students)

Dowling College vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Dowling College or Penn State Altoona?

  • Dowling College is 89.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($29,100.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.6% higher at Dowling College than Penn State Altoona ($29,100.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than Dowling College ($20,621 vs. $22,931)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dowling College are 20.6% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($10,770 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dowling College than Penn State Altoona (88% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Dowling College students is 82.6% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($17,480 vs. $9,574)

Which college is harder to get into, Dowling College 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 Dowling College .

Dowling College vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Dowling College 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 Dowling College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Dowling College (65% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $8,300 more per year than Dowling College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $47,000)
  • Dowling College students graduate with a $1,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($25,500 vs. $26,818)
  • Dowling College graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($263 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dowling College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 51%)

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