Lafayette College vs. Penn State Altoona

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

Lafayette College Penn State Altoona
Location Easton, PA Altoona, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 2,729 2,577
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #65 #584
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lafayette.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lafayette College Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $58,110 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $58,110 $25,854
Room & Board $17,336 $12,984
Avg Net Price $37,186 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $24,981 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 68%

Admission

Lafayette College Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,500 7,523
Admitted 3,531 7,204
Acceptance Rate 33.6% 95.8%
Enrolled % 21.4% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Average
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 30/33 21/28
SAT Range 1330/1480 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

Lafayette College Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Lafayette College Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 88% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $81,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $268 $277

Diversity

Lafayette College Penn State Altoona
% Men 50% 53%
% Women 50% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 77%
% Black 5% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 9% 5%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

Lafayette College Penn State Altoona
% In-State 16% 59%
% Out-of-State 76% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Lafayette College is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (2,729 students vs. 2,577 students)

Lafayette College vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • Lafayette College is 277.6% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($58,110.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 124.8% higher at Lafayette College than Penn State Altoona ($58,110.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than Lafayette College ($20,621 vs. $37,186)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 33.5% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($12,984 vs. $17,336)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lafayette College than Penn State Altoona (98% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lafayette College students is 160.9% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($24,981 vs. $9,574)

Lafayette College vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Lafayette College (1294) is 301 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming Lafayette College students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman Lafayette College students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Lafayette College (33.6%)

Lafayette College vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lafayette 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 Lafayette College.

  • The graduation rate at Lafayette College is higher than Penn State Altoona (88% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Lafayette College earn on average $25,700 more per year than Penn State Altoona graduates after ten years. ($81,000 vs. $55,300)
  • Lafayette College students graduate with a $818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Lafayette College graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($268 vs. $277)
  • More Lafayette College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 69%)

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