McDaniel College vs. Penn State Altoona

Should I go to McDaniel College or Penn State Altoona? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if McDaniel 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
McDaniel College vs. Penn State Altoona comparison
McDaniel College Penn State Altoona College 3 College 4
McDaniel College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

McDaniel College Penn State Altoona
Location Westminster, MD Altoona, PA
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 3,000 2,577
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mcdaniel.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

McDaniel College Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $46,800 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $46,800 $25,854
Room & Board $12,302 $12,984
Avg Net Price $23,733 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $38,848 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 68%

Admission

McDaniel College Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,311 7,523
Admitted 3,537 7,204
Acceptance Rate 82% 95.8%
Enrolled % 13.2% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 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

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

Outcomes

McDaniel College Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 74% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

McDaniel College Penn State Altoona
% Men 34% 53%
% Women 66% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 77%
% Black 14% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 6% 1%

Students

McDaniel College Penn State Altoona
% In-State 71% 59%
% Out-of-State 27% 35%

Campus

McDaniel College 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

  • McDaniel College is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (3,000 students vs. 2,577 students)

McDaniel College vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • McDaniel College is 204.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($46,800.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 81% higher at McDaniel College than Penn State Altoona ($46,800.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than McDaniel College ($20,621 vs. $23,733)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McDaniel College are 5.5% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($12,302 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at McDaniel College than Penn State Altoona (100% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by McDaniel College students is 305.8% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($38,848 vs. $9,574)

McDaniel College vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at McDaniel College (1074) is 81 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming McDaniel College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman McDaniel College students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than McDaniel College (82%)

McDaniel College vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, McDaniel 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 McDaniel College.

  • The graduation rate at McDaniel College is higher than Penn State Altoona (74% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $1,900 more per year than McDaniel College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $53,400)
  • Penn State Altoona students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than McDaniel College graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Altoona graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than McDaniel College graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More McDaniel College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 69%)

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