St John's vs. Penn State Altoona

Comparable Facts

Compare St. John's University New York in Queens, NY with Penn State Altoona in Altoona, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

St. John's University New York is larger than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (19,389 students vs. 2,371 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• St. John's University New York is located in Queens, NY (Large City setting); Penn State Altoona is in Altoona, PA (Small City setting).
• St. John's University New York is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Altoona is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: St. John's University New York 16:1; Penn State Altoona 13:1.

St John's vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St John's or Penn State Altoona? 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 St John's ($21,618 vs. $29,656).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 29.7% lower than at St. John's University New York ($14,474 vs. $20,600).
• St. John's University New York is 232% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State Altoona (about $37,048 more per year; $53,020.00 vs. $15,972.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 96.7% higher at St John's than at Penn State Altoona (about $26,062 more per year; $53,020.00 vs. $26,958.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at St. John's University New York than at Penn State Altoona (100% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by St. John's University New York students is 224.5% larger than aid received by Penn State Altoona students ($35,979 vs. $11,088).

St John's vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St John's or Penn State Altoona? 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 Penn State Altoona and St John's.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at St. John's University New York (1250) is 70 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (1180).
• Incoming St John's students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (26 vs. 25 at Penn State Altoona).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. John's University New York 1150/1340; Penn State Altoona 1070/1290.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: St. John's University New York 24/29; Penn State Altoona 22/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: St John's - Test optional; Penn State Altoona - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman St John's students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4).
• Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than St John's (83.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 11.6% at St John's vs. 10.3% at Penn State Altoona.

St John's vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for St John's and Penn State Altoona? 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 St. John's University New York's (58%).
• Graduates from St. John's University New York earn a median of about $6,100 more per year than Penn State Altoona graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,400 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, St. John's University New York graduates have a $818 lower median loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates ($26,000 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, St John's graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Altoona graduates ($268 vs. $277).
• More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St John's students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 65%)

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.