SWOSU vs. Penn State Altoona

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

 SWOSU Penn State Altoona
Location Weatherford, OK Altoona, PA
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 4,777 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #794 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website swosu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SWOSU Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $6,585 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $13,695 $25,854
Room & Board $6,930 $12,984
Avg Net Price $13,699 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $8,539 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 68%

Admission

 SWOSU Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,571 7,523
Admitted 1,974 7,204
Acceptance Rate 76.8% 95.8%
Enrolled % 37.6% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 21/28
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

 SWOSU Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (28%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

 SWOSU Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 33% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,687 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $162 $277

Diversity

 SWOSU Penn State Altoona
% Men 36% 53%
% Women 64% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 77%
% Black 5% 7%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 4% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 2%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 SWOSU Penn State Altoona
% In-State 89% 59%
% Out-of-State 8% 35%

Campus

 SWOSU Penn State Altoona
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Southwestern Oklahoma State University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (4,777 students vs. 2,577 students)

SWOSU vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SWOSU or Penn State Altoona?

  • Penn State Altoona is 133.7% more expensive to attend than SWOSU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $6,585.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 88.8% higher at Penn State Altoona than Southwestern Oklahoma State University ($25,854.00 vs. $13,695.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southwestern Oklahoma State University than Penn State Altoona ($13,699 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwestern Oklahoma State University are 87.4% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($6,930 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southwestern Oklahoma State University than Penn State Altoona (90% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 12.1% larger than aid received Southwestern Oklahoma State University ($9,574 vs. $8,539)

SWOSU vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SWOSU 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 SWOSU .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Altoona (993) is 3 points higher than at SWOSU (990)
  • Incoming Penn State Altoona students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at SWOSU (21)
  • Accepted freshman SWOSU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than SWOSU (76.8%)

SWOSU vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SWOSU 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 SWOSU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Southwestern Oklahoma State University (65% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $6,700 more per year than SWOSU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $48,600)
  • Southwestern Oklahoma State University students graduate with a $11,131 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($15,687 vs. $26,818)
  • SWOSU graduates are paying $115 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($162 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SWOSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 54%)

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