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Penn State Berks VSU Old Dominion Penn State Harrisburg Hampton University Bowie State University Penn State Abington ECSU University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Penn State Erie-Behrend College Penn State Delaware State University| Penn State Altoona | Norfolk State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn State Altoona | NSU | ||
| Location | Altoona, PA | Norfolk, VA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,577 | 5,783 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #584 | #1008 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | nsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Altoona | NSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,388 | $5,752 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,854 | $16,920 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,984 | $10,844 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,621 | $14,652 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,574 | $12,164 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 68% | 91% |
Admission |
Penn State Altoona | NSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,523 | 8,884 | ||
| Admitted | 7,204 | 7,951 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95.8% | 89.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.6% | 16.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.4 | 2.9 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 15/20 | ||
| SAT Range | 1050/1250 | 840/1040 | ||
| 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 | May 31, 2024 |
Academics |
Penn State Altoona | NSU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State Altoona | NSU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 65% | 33% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $36,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 27% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $31,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $320 |
Diversity |
Penn State Altoona | NSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 53% | 33% | ||
| % Women | 47% | 67% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | Yes | ||
| % White | 77% | 5% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 84% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 4% | ||
| % International | 5% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 3% |
Students |
Penn State Altoona | NSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 59% | 65% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 35% | 31% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Altoona | NSU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Norfolk State University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (5,783 students vs. 2,577 students)
Penn State Altoona vs. NSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or NSU?
- Penn State Altoona is 167.5% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $5,752.00)
- Out of state tuition is 52.8% higher at Penn State Altoona than Norfolk State University ($25,854.00 vs. $16,920.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than Penn State Altoona ($14,652 vs. $20,621)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 19.7% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($10,844 vs. $12,984)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Norfolk State University than Penn State Altoona (91% vs. 68%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Norfolk State University students is 27.1% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($12,164 vs. $9,574)
Penn State Altoona vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Altoona or NSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between NSU or Penn State Altoona .
- The average SAT score at Penn State Altoona (993) is 185 points higher than at NSU (808)
- Incoming Penn State Altoona students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at NSU (17)
- Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at NSU (2.9)
- Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than NSU (89.5%)
Penn State Altoona vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Altoona or NSU? 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 NSU and Penn State Altoona.
- The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Norfolk State University (65% vs. 33%)
- Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $18,600 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $36,700)
- Penn State Altoona students graduate with a $4,182 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($26,818 vs. $31,000)
- Penn State Altoona graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($277 vs. $320)
- More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 27%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/