SUNY Empire State College vs. Penn State Altoona

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

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Altoona
Location Saratoga Springs, NY Altoona, PA
Setting Small Suburban Small City
Enrollment 9,407 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website esc.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $25,854
Room & Board $11,600 $12,984
Avg Net Price $9,704 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $9,343 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 68%

Admission

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 7,523
Admitted - 7,204
Acceptance Rate 95.8%
Enrolled % 12.6%
Avg High School GPA - 3.4
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Average
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

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (40%)
  • Human Services (20%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 19% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $240 $277

Diversity

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Altoona
% Men 33% 53%
% Women 67% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 60% 77%
% Black 16% 7%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 5% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

SUNY Empire State College Penn State Altoona
% In-State 86% 59%
% Out-of-State 7% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY Empire State College is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (9,407 students vs. 2,577 students)

SUNY Empire State College vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Altoona is 117.7% more expensive to attend than SUNY Empire State College for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.3% higher at Penn State Altoona than SUNY Empire State College ($25,854.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY Empire State College than Penn State Altoona ($9,704 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY Empire State College are 11.9% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($11,600 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY Empire State College than Penn State Altoona (80% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 2.5% larger than aid received SUNY Empire State College ($9,574 vs. $9,343)

Which college is harder to get into, SUNY Empire 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 SUNY Empire State College .

SUNY Empire State College vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY Empire 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 SUNY Empire State College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than SUNY Empire State College (65% vs. 19%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $9,300 more per year than SUNY Empire State College graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $46,000)
  • SUNY Empire State College students graduate with a $3,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,818)
  • SUNY Empire State College graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($240 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Empire State College students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 44%)

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