Penn State Altoona vs. Tennessee State University

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

Penn State Altoona Tennessee State University
Location Altoona, PA Nashville, TN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 2,577 9,218
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu tnstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Altoona Tennessee State University
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $7,128
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $20,484
Room & Board $12,984 $8,542
Avg Net Price $20,621 $11,986
Avg Grant Aid $9,574 $17,315
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 98%

Admission

Penn State Altoona Tennessee State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,523 -
Admitted 7,204 -
Acceptance Rate 95.8% Open
Enrolled % 12.6% Open
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.22
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Average Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28
SAT Range 1050/1250
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

Penn State Altoona Tennessee State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Health Professions (25%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

Penn State Altoona Tennessee State University
Graduation Rate 65% 36%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $38,400
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 29%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $289

Diversity

Penn State Altoona Tennessee State University
% Men 53% 34%
% Women 47% 66%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 77% 14%
% Black 7% 70%
% Hispanic 6% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 5% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Penn State Altoona Tennessee State University
% In-State 59% 38%
% Out-of-State 35% 61%

Campus

Penn State Altoona Tennessee State University
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

  • Tennessee State University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (9,218 students vs. 2,577 students)

Penn State Altoona vs. Tennessee State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or Tennessee State University?

  • Penn State Altoona is 115.9% more expensive to attend than Tennessee State University for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,128.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.2% higher at Penn State Altoona than Tennessee State University ($25,854.00 vs. $20,484.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Tennessee State University than Penn State Altoona ($11,986 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tennessee State University are 52% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($8,542 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Tennessee State University than Penn State Altoona (98% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Tennessee State University students is 80.9% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($17,315 vs. $9,574)

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Altoona or Tennessee State University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Tennessee State University or Penn State Altoona .

  • Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at Tennessee State University (3.22)

Penn State Altoona vs. Tennessee State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Altoona or Tennessee State University? 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 Tennessee State University and Penn State Altoona.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Tennessee State University (65% vs. 36%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $16,900 more per year than Tennessee State University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $38,400)
  • Penn State Altoona students graduate with a $1,182 lower median federal student loan debt than Tennessee State University graduates. ($26,818 vs. $28,000)
  • Penn State Altoona graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Tennessee State University graduates. ($277 vs. $289)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tennessee State University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 29%)

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