William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State Altoona

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

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Altoona
Location Wayne, NJ Altoona, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 9,070 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #557 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wpunj.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $14,192 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $23,192 $25,854
Room & Board $13,160 $12,984
Avg Net Price $12,967 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $10,919 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 68%

Admission

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,062 7,523
Admitted 6,464 7,204
Acceptance Rate 91.5% 95.8%
Enrolled % 12.5% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 2.97 3.4
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28
SAT Range 990/1345 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 Jun 1, 2024

Academics

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 46% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $253 $277

Diversity

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Altoona
% Men 35% 53%
% Women 65% 47%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 43% 77%
% Black 16% 7%
% Hispanic 27% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

William Paterson University of New Jersey Penn State Altoona
% In-State 92% 59%
% Out-of-State 6% 35%

Campus

William Paterson University of New Jersey 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

  • William Paterson University of New Jersey is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (9,070 students vs. 2,577 students)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, William Paterson University of New Jersey or Penn State Altoona?

  • Penn State Altoona is 8.4% more expensive to attend than William Paterson University of New Jersey for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $14,192.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.5% higher at Penn State Altoona than William Paterson University of New Jersey ($25,854.00 vs. $23,192.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at William Paterson University of New Jersey than Penn State Altoona ($12,967 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Altoona are 1.4% lower than costs at William Paterson University of New Jersey ($12,984 vs. $13,160)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at William Paterson University of New Jersey than Penn State Altoona (95% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by William Paterson University of New Jersey students is 14% larger than aid received Penn State Altoona ($10,919 vs. $9,574)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, William Paterson University of New Jersey 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 William Paterson University of New Jersey .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Altoona (993) is 3 points higher than at William Paterson University of New Jersey (990)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.43 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at William Paterson University of New Jersey (2.97)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than William Paterson University of New Jersey (91.5%)

William Paterson University of New Jersey vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, William Paterson University of New Jersey 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 William Paterson University of New Jersey.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than William Paterson University of New Jersey (65% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $8,800 more per year than William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $46,500)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey students graduate with a $2,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($24,500 vs. $26,818)
  • William Paterson University of New Jersey graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($253 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former William Paterson University of New Jersey students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 59%)

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