Overview of Penn State Altoona

Penn State Altoona is the third-largest in the Pennsylvania State University system. Students can select from 21 baccalaureate degrees and 6 associate degrees. Professional sponsors, including business, engineering, and nursing, are most popular at the baccalaureate level. Academics are backed by a 14 to 1 student/faculty ratio. Student life is robust with over 90 organizations and clubs, including fraternities and sororities, music ensembles, academic honor societies, and a student-run newspaper. Penn State Altoona also offers a wide variety of club sports. The Penn State Altoona Nittany Lions play in the NCAA Division III Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.

Enrollment

• Total Enrollment: 3,244 (all undergraduates)
• Gender Breakdown: 55% Male/45% Female
• 96% Full-time

Cost of Attendance Information

• Tuition and Fees: $15,198 (in-state); $24,450 (out-of-state)
• Books: $1,840
• Room and Board: $11,570
• Other Expenses: $4,788
• Total Cost: $33,396 (in-state); $42,648 (out-of-state)

Financial Aid Information

• Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 81%
• Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of Aid
  • Grants: 59%
  • Loans: 65%
• Mean Amount of Aid
  • Grants: $6,044
  • Loans: $6,206

Academic Programs Offered

• Most Popular Majors: Business, Criminal Justice, Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology, Elementary Education, Nursing

Retention and Graduation

• First-Year Student Retention (full-time students): 81%
• 4-Year Graduation Rate: 44%
• 6-Year Graduation Rate: 65%

NCAA Athletic Programs

• Men’s Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Golf, Soccer, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Volleyball Women’s Sports: Basketball, Bowling, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Volleyball

Overview of Penn State Altoona Admissions

Penn State Altoona admits the large majority of applicants each year; in 2019, the school admitted 91% of those who submitted applications. Students whose SAT/ACT scores and GPA are within the institution’s requirements have a good chance of being admitted. Applicants should complete an online application and send test scores from either the SAT or ACT and high school transcripts. Students with unique talents and accomplishments can still receive strong consideration even if their GPAs are outside of the mean range. After applying, students will receive a message from an admissions counselor about the application process’s next steps.

Admissions Data                        

• Penn State Altoona Acceptance Rate: 91%
• Test Scores — 25th/75th Percentile
  • SAT Critical Reading: 500/590
  • SAT Math: 500/590
  • SAT Writing: -/-
  • ACT Cumulative: 20/25
  • ACT English: 20/25
  • ACT Math: 19/25
  • ACT Writing: -/-

Safety Net Schools: Easy to Gain Admission

If past admission data predicts that you would be a competitive candidate for Penn State Altoona, it should be easy to gain admissions to the schools below. If Penn State Altoona is currently out of your reach, then you are sure to be a competitive candidate for the schools below.

University of Texas at El Paso, California State University Sacramento, California State University Northridge, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, California State University East Bay, Kean University, California State University Los Angeles

Same Tier: Just As Hard to Gain Admission

If you’re a competitive candidate for Penn State Altoona, you should have an equal chance of gaining admissions at these schools.

East Carolina University, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, Old Dominion University, Texas State University, Georgia State University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Reach Institutions: Gaining Admissions Will be More of a Challenge

These schools are more challenging to gain admission into than Penn State Altoona. If you improve your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, you’ll be a competitive candidate.

University of Alabama, Quinnipiac University, Ohio University, University of North Texas, University of Texas at Arlington, California State University Long Beach, Pace University

Applying to Penn State Altoona

Application Deadline: Rolling

Undergraduate Admissions Website:

https://altoona.psu.edu/admission

Undergraduate Application Link(s):

https://admissions.psu.edu/apply/