Alfred State College vs. Penn State Altoona

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

Alfred State College Penn State Altoona
Location Alfred, NY Altoona, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 3,348 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #464 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website alfredstate.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Alfred State College Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $14,150 $25,854
Room & Board $13,620 $12,984
Avg Net Price $17,262 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $8,830 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 68%

Admission

Alfred State College Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,922 7,523
Admitted 4,023 7,204
Acceptance Rate 81.7% 95.8%
Enrolled % 25.8% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.4
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 21/28
SAT Range 960/1180 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

Alfred State College Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering Technology (20%)
  • Construction Trades (17%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (13%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Alfred State College Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 68% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,100 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,874 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $153 $277

Diversity

Alfred State College Penn State Altoona
% Men 64% 53%
% Women 36% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 77%
% Black 10% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Alfred State College Penn State Altoona
% In-State 96% 59%
% Out-of-State 4% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY College of Technology at Alfred is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (3,348 students vs. 2,577 students)

Alfred State College vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alfred State College or Penn State Altoona?

  • Penn State Altoona is 117.7% more expensive to attend than Alfred State College for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 82.7% higher at Penn State Altoona than SUNY College of Technology at Alfred ($25,854.00 vs. $14,150.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College of Technology at Alfred than Penn State Altoona ($17,262 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 4.9% lower than costs at SUNY College of Technology at Alfred ($12,984 vs. $13,620)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY College of Technology at Alfred than Penn State Altoona (99% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 8.4% larger than aid received SUNY College of Technology at Alfred ($9,574 vs. $8,830)

Alfred State College vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Alfred State College 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 Alfred State College .

  • The average SAT score at SUNY College of Technology at Alfred (1016) is 23 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming Penn State Altoona students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Alfred State College (21)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at Alfred State College (3.1)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Alfred State College (81.7%)

Alfred State College vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alfred State College 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 Alfred State College.

  • The graduation rate at Alfred State College is higher than Penn State Altoona (68% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $13,200 more per year than Alfred State College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $42,100)
  • SUNY College of Technology at Alfred students graduate with a $11,944 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($14,874 vs. $26,818)
  • Alfred State College graduates are paying $124 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($153 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Alfred State College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 66%)

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