UAFS vs. Penn State Altoona

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

 UAFS Penn State Altoona
Location Fort Smith, AR Altoona, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 5,379 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uafortsmith.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UAFS Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $4,104 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $11,376 $25,854
Room & Board $9,645 $12,984
Avg Net Price $10,705 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $8,283 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 68%

Admission

 UAFS Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 7,523
Admitted - 7,204
Acceptance Rate 95.8%
Enrolled % 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ 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

 UAFS Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Precision Production Trades (10%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (10%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

 UAFS Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 23% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,000 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,132 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $146 $277

Diversity

 UAFS Penn State Altoona
% Men 40% 53%
% Women 60% 47%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 77%
% Black 4% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 2%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 UAFS Penn State Altoona
% In-State 87% 59%
% Out-of-State 12% 35%

Campus

 UAFS 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

  • University of Arkansas Fort Smith is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (5,379 students vs. 2,577 students)

UAFS vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Altoona is 275% more expensive to attend than UAFS for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $4,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 127.3% higher at Penn State Altoona than University of Arkansas Fort Smith ($25,854.00 vs. $11,376.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Arkansas Fort Smith than Penn State Altoona ($10,705 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas Fort Smith are 34.6% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($9,645 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Arkansas Fort Smith than Penn State Altoona (100% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 15.6% larger than aid received University of Arkansas Fort Smith ($9,574 vs. $8,283)

Which college is harder to get into, UAFS 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 UAFS .

  • Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at UAFS (3.39)

UAFS vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UAFS 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 UAFS.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than University of Arkansas Fort Smith (65% vs. 23%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $20,300 more per year than UAFS graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $35,000)
  • University of Arkansas Fort Smith students graduate with a $12,686 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($14,132 vs. $26,818)
  • UAFS graduates are paying $131 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($146 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UAFS students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 47%)

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