Drexel vs. Penn State Altoona

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

Drexel Penn State Altoona
Location Philadelphia, PA Altoona, PA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 22,344 2,577
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #124 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website drexel.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Drexel Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $56,595 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $56,595 $25,854
Room & Board $16,980 $12,984
Avg Net Price $39,267 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $33,861 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 68%

Admission

Drexel Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 37,040 7,523
Admitted 29,487 7,204
Acceptance Rate 79.6% 95.8%
Enrolled % 10% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32 21/28
SAT Range 1230/1430 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 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

Drexel Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Drexel Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 68% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $77,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,243 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $271 $277

Diversity

Drexel Penn State Altoona
% Men 46% 53%
% Women 54% 47%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 54% 77%
% Black 7% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 13% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Drexel Penn State Altoona
% In-State 44% 59%
% Out-of-State 47% 35%

Campus

Drexel 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

  • Drexel University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (22,344 students vs. 2,577 students)

Drexel vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • Drexel University is 267.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($56,595.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 118.9% higher at Drexel than Penn State Altoona ($56,595.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than Drexel ($20,621 vs. $39,267)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 30.8% lower than costs at Drexel University ($12,984 vs. $16,980)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Drexel University than Penn State Altoona (100% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Drexel University students is 253.7% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($33,861 vs. $9,574)

Drexel vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Drexel 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 Drexel .

  • The average SAT score at Drexel University (1214) is 221 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming Drexel students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman Drexel students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Drexel (79.6%)

Drexel vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Drexel 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 Drexel.

  • The graduation rate at Drexel is higher than Penn State Altoona (68% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Drexel University earn on average $22,100 more per year than Penn State Altoona graduates after ten years. ($77,400 vs. $55,300)
  • Drexel University students graduate with a $575 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($26,243 vs. $26,818)
  • Drexel graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($271 vs. $277)
  • More Drexel graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 69%)

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