Indiana State vs. Penn State Altoona

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

 Indiana State Penn State Altoona
Location Terre Haute, IN Altoona, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 8,658 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website indstate.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Indiana State Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $9,452 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $20,880 $25,854
Room & Board $11,350 $12,984
Avg Net Price $12,688 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $10,802 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 68%

Admission

 Indiana State Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,531 7,523
Admitted 17,105 7,204
Acceptance Rate 92.3% 95.8%
Enrolled % 9% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.29 3.4
Typical High School Grades B 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

Academics

 Indiana State Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

 Indiana State Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 42% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,720 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $245 $277

Diversity

 Indiana State Penn State Altoona
% Men 42% 53%
% Women 58% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 77%
% Black 19% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 6% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Indiana State Penn State Altoona
% In-State 81% 59%
% Out-of-State 18% 35%

Campus

 Indiana State 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

  • Indiana State University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (8,658 students vs. 2,577 students)

Indiana State vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Altoona is 62.8% more expensive to attend than Indiana State for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $9,452.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.8% higher at Penn State Altoona than Indiana State University ($25,854.00 vs. $20,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana State University than Penn State Altoona ($12,688 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana State University are 14.4% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($11,350 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana State University than Penn State Altoona (96% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Indiana State University students is 12.8% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($10,802 vs. $9,574)

Indiana State vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Indiana State 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 Indiana State .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Altoona (993) is 83 points higher than at Indiana State (910)
  • Incoming Penn State Altoona students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Indiana State (19)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at Indiana State (3.29)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Indiana State (92.3%)

Indiana State vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Indiana State 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 Indiana State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Indiana State University (65% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $14,900 more per year than Indiana State graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $40,400)
  • Indiana State University students graduate with a $3,098 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($23,720 vs. $26,818)
  • Indiana State graduates are paying $32 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($245 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Indiana State 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/