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CMU GVSU Penn State Berks Oakland WSU Michigan State ISU Penn State Harrisburg Eastern Michigan University Northern Illinois Michigan Tech Michigan| Western Michigan University | Penn State Altoona | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
WMU | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Location | Kalamazoo, MI | Altoona, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 17,000 | 2,577 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #634 | #584 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wmich.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WMU | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $14,523 | $15,388 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $18,154 | $25,854 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,102 | $12,984 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $20,030 | $20,621 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $6,813 | $9,574 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 93% | 68% |
Admission |
WMU | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 20,501 | 7,523 | ||
| Admitted | 17,334 | 7,204 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 84.6% | 95.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 15.1% | 12.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.5 | 3.4 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/27 | 21/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 990/1220 | 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 |
WMU | Penn State Altoona | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
WMU | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Graduation Rate | 56% | 65% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $48,900 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 54% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,633 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $275 | $277 |
Diversity |
WMU | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 47% | 53% | ||
| % Women | 53% | 47% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 72% | 77% | ||
| % Black | 12% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 2% | ||
| % International | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
WMU | Penn State Altoona | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 79% | 59% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 19% | 35% | ||
Campus |
WMU | Penn State Altoona | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Western Michigan University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (17,000 students vs. 2,577 students)
WMU vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WMU or Penn State Altoona?
- Penn State Altoona is 6% more expensive to attend than WMU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $14,523.00)
- Out of state tuition is 42.4% higher at Penn State Altoona than Western Michigan University ($25,854.00 vs. $18,154.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Michigan University than Penn State Altoona ($20,030 vs. $20,621)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Michigan University are 17% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($11,102 vs. $12,984)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Western Michigan University than Penn State Altoona (93% vs. 68%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 40.5% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($9,574 vs. $6,813)
WMU vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WMU 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 WMU .
- The average SAT score at Western Michigan University (1030) is 37 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
- Incoming WMU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Penn State Altoona (22)
- Accepted freshman WMU 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 (95.8%) than WMU (84.6%)
WMU vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WMU 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 WMU.
- The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Western Michigan University (65% vs. 56%)
- Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $6,400 more per year than WMU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $48,900)
- Western Michigan University students graduate with a $185 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($26,633 vs. $26,818)
- WMU graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($275 vs. $277)
- More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WMU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 54%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/