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UW-Eau Claire Penn State Berks University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Penn State Harrisburg UWM Wisconsin UWO Penn State Abington University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Penn State Erie-Behrend College UW-Platteville Penn State| Penn State Altoona | University of Wisconsin La Crosse | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Penn State Altoona | UW-La Crosse | ||
| Location | Altoona, PA | La Crosse, WI | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,577 | 10,274 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #584 | #548 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | uwlax.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Altoona | UW-La Crosse | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,388 | $7,585 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,854 | $16,404 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,984 | $6,942 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,621 | $13,130 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,574 | $3,395 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 68% | 64% |
Admission |
Penn State Altoona | UW-La Crosse | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 7,523 | 7,290 | ||
| Admitted | 7,204 | 5,413 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95.8% | 74.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.6% | 43% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.4 | 3.6 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Moderate | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 21/28 | 22/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 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 |
Penn State Altoona | UW-La Crosse | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State Altoona | UW-La Crosse | ||
| Graduation Rate | 65% | 68% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $49,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 80% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $23,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $240 |
Diversity |
Penn State Altoona | UW-La Crosse | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 53% | 42% | ||
| % Women | 47% | 58% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 77% | 90% | ||
| % Black | 7% | 1% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 2% | ||
| % International | 5% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 0% |
Students |
Penn State Altoona | UW-La Crosse | ||
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| % In-State | 59% | 81% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 35% | 19% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Altoona | UW-La Crosse | ||
| 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
- University of Wisconsin La Crosse is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (10,274 students vs. 2,577 students)
Penn State Altoona vs. UW-La Crosse Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Altoona or UW-La Crosse?
- Penn State Altoona is 102.9% more expensive to attend than UW-La Crosse for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,585.00)
- Out of state tuition is 57.6% higher at Penn State Altoona than University of Wisconsin La Crosse ($25,854.00 vs. $16,404.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin La Crosse than Penn State Altoona ($13,130 vs. $20,621)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin La Crosse are 87% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($6,942 vs. $12,984)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Altoona than University of Wisconsin La Crosse (68% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 182% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin La Crosse ($9,574 vs. $3,395)
Penn State Altoona vs. UW-La Crosse Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Altoona or UW-La Crosse? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UW-La Crosse or Penn State Altoona .
- The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin La Crosse (1130) is 137 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
- Incoming UW-La Crosse students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
- Accepted freshman UW-La Crosse students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
- Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than UW-La Crosse (74.3%)
Penn State Altoona vs. UW-La Crosse Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Altoona or UW-La Crosse? 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 UW-La Crosse and Penn State Altoona.
- The graduation rate at UW-La Crosse is higher than Penn State Altoona (68% vs. 65%)
- Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $5,800 more per year than UW-La Crosse graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $49,500)
- University of Wisconsin La Crosse students graduate with a $3,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,818)
- UW-La Crosse graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($240 vs. $277)
- More UW-La Crosse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/