Penn State Altoona vs. Ship

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Altoona in Altoona, PA with Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania in Shippensburg, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is larger than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (5,161 students vs. 2,371 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Altoona is located in Altoona, PA (Small City setting); Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is in Shippensburg, PA (Distant Town setting).
• Penn State Altoona is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Altoona 13:1; Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania 18:1.

Penn State Altoona vs. Ship Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or Ship? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than Ship ($21,618 vs. $23,772).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania are 7.8% lower than at Penn State Altoona ($13,340 vs. $14,474).
• Penn State Altoona is 16.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Ship (about $2,252 more per year; $15,972.00 vs. $13,720.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 68.8% higher at Penn State Altoona than at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (about $10,984 more per year; $26,958.00 vs. $15,974.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania than at Penn State Altoona (90% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 64.1% larger than aid received by Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania students ($11,088 vs. $6,756).

Penn State Altoona vs. Ship Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Altoona or Ship? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Ship and Penn State Altoona.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Altoona (1180) is 80 points higher than at Ship (1100).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Altoona 1070/1290; Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania 990/1210.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Altoona 22/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Altoona - Test optional; Ship - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at Ship (3.23).
• Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than Ship (86.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 10.3% at Penn State Altoona vs. 17.5% at Ship.

Penn State Altoona vs. Ship Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Altoona and Ship? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Penn State Altoona's six-year graduation rate (65%) is higher than Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania's (60%).
• Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn a median of about $8,100 more per year than Ship graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $47,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania graduates have a $1,818 lower median loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates ($25,000 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, Ship graduates have an estimated $19 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Altoona graduates ($258 vs. $277).
• More Ship graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.