Western New England University vs. Penn State Altoona

Should I go to Western New England University or Penn State Altoona? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Western New England University 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Western New England University vs. Penn State Altoona comparison
Western New England University Penn State Altoona College 3 College 4
Western New England University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Western New England University Penn State Altoona
Location Springfield, MA Altoona, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 3,430 2,577
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #372 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wne.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Western New England University Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $41,750 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $41,750 $25,854
Room & Board $14,670 $12,984
Avg Net Price $30,214 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $24,781 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 68%

Admission

Western New England University Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,128 7,523
Admitted 5,393 7,204
Acceptance Rate 88% 95.8%
Enrolled % 10.9% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.49 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/29 21/28
SAT Range 1090/1280 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

Western New England University Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

Western New England University Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 61% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

Western New England University Penn State Altoona
% Men 53% 53%
% Women 47% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 77%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 3% 5%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Western New England University Penn State Altoona
% In-State 54% 59%
% Out-of-State 44% 35%

Campus

Western New England University 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

  • Western New England University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (3,430 students vs. 2,577 students)

Western New England University vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Western New England University or Penn State Altoona?

  • Western New England University is 171.3% more expensive to attend than Penn State Altoona for in-state tuition ($41,750.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61.5% higher at Western New England University than Penn State Altoona ($41,750.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Altoona than Western New England University ($20,621 vs. $30,214)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 13% lower than costs at Western New England University ($12,984 vs. $14,670)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western New England University than Penn State Altoona (97% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western New England University students is 158.8% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($24,781 vs. $9,574)

Western New England University vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Western New England University 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 Western New England University .

  • The average SAT score at Western New England University (1080) is 87 points higher than at Penn State Altoona (993)
  • Incoming Western New England University students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Altoona (22)
  • Accepted freshman Western New England University students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.49) than students at Penn State Altoona (3.4)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Western New England University (88%)

Western New England University vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Western New England University 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 Western New England University.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Western New England University (65% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Western New England University earn on average $4,500 more per year than Penn State Altoona graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Altoona students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Western New England University graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Altoona graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Western New England University graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Western New England University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Altoona students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 69%)

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