KSC vs. Penn State Altoona

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

KSC Penn State Altoona
Location Keene, NH Altoona, PA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 2,872 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #747 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website keene.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

KSC Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $11,754 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $22,663 $25,854
Room & Board $13,534 $12,984
Avg Net Price $19,546 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $10,085 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 68%

Admission

KSC Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,487 7,523
Admitted 4,017 7,204
Acceptance Rate 89.5% 95.8%
Enrolled % 17.6% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.4
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/25 21/28
SAT Range 970/1170 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 1, 2023

Academics

KSC Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (16%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

KSC Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 57% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,295 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $271 $277

Diversity

KSC Penn State Altoona
% Men 46% 53%
% Women 54% 47%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 86% 77%
% Black 1% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

KSC Penn State Altoona
% In-State 46% 59%
% Out-of-State 54% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Keene State College is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (2,872 students vs. 2,577 students)

KSC vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Altoona is 30.9% more expensive to attend than KSC for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $11,754.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.1% higher at Penn State Altoona than Keene State College ($25,854.00 vs. $22,663.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Keene State College than Penn State Altoona ($19,546 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 4.2% lower than costs at Keene State College ($12,984 vs. $13,534)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Keene State College than Penn State Altoona (99% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Keene State College students is 5.3% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($10,085 vs. $9,574)

KSC vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, KSC 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 KSC .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Altoona (993) is 2 points higher than at KSC (991)
  • Incoming KSC students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at KSC (3.1)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than KSC (89.5%)

KSC vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, KSC 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 KSC.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Keene State College (65% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $10,900 more per year than KSC graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $44,400)
  • Keene State College students graduate with a $523 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($26,295 vs. $26,818)
  • KSC graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($271 vs. $277)
  • More KSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 69%)

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