TU vs. Penn State Altoona

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

TU Penn State Altoona
Location Towson, MD Altoona, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 19,793 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #445 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website towson.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

TU Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $7,238 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $23,240 $25,854
Room & Board $13,642 $12,984
Avg Net Price $14,443 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $11,415 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 68%

Admission

TU Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,770 7,523
Admitted 13,967 7,204
Acceptance Rate 78.6% 95.8%
Enrolled % 19.1% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 21/28
SAT Range 1010/1230 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 Apr 1, 2024

Academics

TU Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

TU Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 64% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,750 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $183 $277

Diversity

TU Penn State Altoona
% Men 39% 53%
% Women 61% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 61% 77%
% Black 18% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

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

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Towson University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (19,793 students vs. 2,577 students)

TU vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Altoona is 112.6% more expensive to attend than TU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $7,238.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.2% higher at Penn State Altoona than Towson University ($25,854.00 vs. $23,240.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than Penn State Altoona ($14,443 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 5.1% lower than costs at Towson University ($12,984 vs. $13,642)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Towson University than Penn State Altoona (74% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Towson University students is 19.2% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($11,415 vs. $9,574)

TU vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, TU 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 TU .

  • The average SAT score at Towson University (1081) is 88 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming TU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than TU (78.6%)

TU vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, TU 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 TU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Towson University (65% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $1,800 more per year than TU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $53,500)
  • Towson University students graduate with a $9,068 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($17,750 vs. $26,818)
  • TU graduates are paying $94 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($183 vs. $277)
  • More TU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 69%)

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