MSU Moorhead vs. Penn State Altoona

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

MSU Moorhead Penn State Altoona
Location Moorhead, MN Altoona, PA
Setting Midsize Suburban Small City
Enrollment 4,682 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #608 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mnstate.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MSU Moorhead Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $8,838 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $17,674 $25,854
Room & Board $10,104 $12,984
Avg Net Price $17,939 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $6,905 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 68%

Admission

MSU Moorhead Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,898 7,523
Admitted 2,207 7,204
Acceptance Rate 56.6% 95.8%
Enrolled % 28.6% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 21/28
SAT Range 1080/1290 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

Academics

MSU Moorhead Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

MSU Moorhead Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 45% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,276 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $230 $277

Diversity

MSU Moorhead Penn State Altoona
% Men 35% 53%
% Women 65% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 77%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 7% 5%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

MSU Moorhead Penn State Altoona
% In-State 68% 59%
% Out-of-State 28% 35%

Campus

MSU Moorhead 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

  • Minnesota State University Moorhead is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (4,682 students vs. 2,577 students)

MSU Moorhead vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MSU Moorhead or Penn State Altoona?

  • Penn State Altoona is 74.1% more expensive to attend than MSU Moorhead for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $8,838.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.3% higher at Penn State Altoona than Minnesota State University Moorhead ($25,854.00 vs. $17,674.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Minnesota State University Moorhead than Penn State Altoona ($17,939 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minnesota State University Moorhead are 28.5% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($10,104 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Minnesota State University Moorhead than Penn State Altoona (96% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 38.7% larger than aid received Minnesota State University Moorhead ($9,574 vs. $6,905)

MSU Moorhead vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MSU Moorhead 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 MSU Moorhead .

  • The average SAT score at Minnesota State University Moorhead (1049) is 56 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming MSU Moorhead students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman MSU Moorhead students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than MSU Moorhead (56.6%)

MSU Moorhead vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MSU Moorhead 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 MSU Moorhead.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Minnesota State University Moorhead (65% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $12,900 more per year than MSU Moorhead graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $42,400)
  • Minnesota State University Moorhead students graduate with a $4,542 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($22,276 vs. $26,818)
  • MSU Moorhead graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($230 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MSU Moorhead students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 65%)

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