WSSU vs. Penn State Altoona

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

 WSSU Penn State Altoona
Location Winston-Salem, NC Altoona, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 5,004 2,577
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #956 #584
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wssu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WSSU Penn State Altoona
Tuition (In State) $3,401 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $14,057 $25,854
Room & Board $11,220 $12,984
Avg Net Price $14,097 $20,621
Avg Grant Aid $8,350 $9,574
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 68%

Admission

 WSSU Penn State Altoona
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,628 7,523
Admitted 5,598 7,204
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 95.8%
Enrolled % 15.3% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.01 3.4
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/19 21/28
SAT Range 830/1050 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 Feb 15, 2024

Academics

 WSSU Penn State Altoona
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (6%)

Outcomes

 WSSU Penn State Altoona
Graduation Rate 41% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,663 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $265 $277

Diversity

 WSSU Penn State Altoona
% Men 24% 53%
% Women 76% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 16% 77%
% Black 72% 7%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 2% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 WSSU Penn State Altoona
% In-State 82% 59%
% Out-of-State 16% 35%

Campus

 WSSU 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

  • Winston Salem State University is larger than than Penn State Altoona based on total student enrollment (5,004 students vs. 2,577 students)

WSSU vs. Penn State Altoona Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Altoona is 352.5% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 83.9% higher at Penn State Altoona than Winston Salem State University ($25,854.00 vs. $14,057.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Winston Salem State University than Penn State Altoona ($14,097 vs. $20,621)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Winston Salem State University are 15.7% lower than costs at Penn State Altoona ($11,220 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Winston Salem State University than Penn State Altoona (86% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Altoona students is 14.7% larger than aid received Winston Salem State University ($9,574 vs. $8,350)

WSSU vs. Penn State Altoona Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, WSSU 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 WSSU .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Altoona (993) is 123 points higher than at WSSU (870)
  • Incoming Penn State Altoona students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at WSSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Altoona students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at WSSU (3.01)
  • Penn State Altoona has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than WSSU (73.4%)

WSSU vs. Penn State Altoona Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WSSU 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 WSSU.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Altoona is higher than Winston Salem State University (65% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Altoona earn on average $19,600 more per year than WSSU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $35,700)
  • Winston Salem State University students graduate with a $1,155 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($25,663 vs. $26,818)
  • WSSU graduates are paying $12 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Altoona graduates. ($265 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Altoona graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 33%)

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