More selective than 5% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $32,559. College Scorecard.
Higher than 2% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 3% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 54% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 77% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona acceptance rate & admissions
Of 7,134 applicants, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona admitted 6,942 and 859 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1070–1290 on the SAT or 22–28 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Pennsylvania residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: Pennsylvania residents with financial need may receive a PA State Grant: up to $6,000 a year in 2026-27 at approved colleges, depending on need and the college. Not included in the prices above. Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), PA State Grant
What Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona took 4.3 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Pennsylvania. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $16,017 | $68,072 | 2.5 years |
| $30–48k | $16,546 | $70,321 | 2.5 years |
| $48–75k | $19,464 | $82,722 | 3.0 years |
| $75–110k | $23,562 | $100,139 | 3.6 years |
| $110k+ | $28,263 | $120,118 | 4.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (14% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($63,435) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $27,638 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona majors, earnings & careers
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona offers 22 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 4
- Humanities & Languages · 3
- Science & Math · 3
- Arts & Design · 2
- Business & Finance · 2
- Engineering · 2
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Education · 1
Highest-earning majors at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $120,729 | $26,000 |
| Information Technology | $98,637 | $26,917 |
| Nursing | $91,032 | $27,000 |
| Accounting | $88,192 | $26,000 |
| Electromechanical Technologies / Technicians | $81,835 | $27,000 |
| Civil Engineering | $81,403 | $26,838 |
| Mathematics | $77,336 | $25,000 |
| Political Science | $68,918 | $26,000 |
Quick list of all 22 majors
- Accounting$88,192
- Biology$64,910
- Business$65,292
- Civil Engineering$81,403
- Communications$55,505
- Computer and Information Sciences$120,729
- Criminal Justice$56,877
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$53,362
- Electromechanical Technologies / Technicians$81,835
- English$50,299
- Environmental Science / Conservation$60,193
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$58,105
- History$52,871
- Human Development and Family Studies$45,943
- Information Technology$98,637
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$67,399
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$58,195
- Mathematics$77,336
- Nursing$91,032
- Political Science$68,918
- Psychology$49,543
- Visual and Performing Arts$45,170
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Altoona
Overall prices in the Altoona, PA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,151. Housing costs 45% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 45 inches of rain a year, 38 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Blair County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Blair County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona with similar schools
Similar public colleges in Pennsylvania by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | 98% | $22,213 | 17% | $63,435 | This school |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | 97% | $18,071 | 20% | $63,435 | |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley | 97% | $18,220 | 18% | $63,435 | |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York | 97% | $19,047 | 16% | $63,435 | |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | 99% | $24,356 | 32% | $63,435 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona would cost you $4,142 more per year than Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona, mostly from higher housing & meal costs (+$1,908).
- Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington gives aided families $378 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Pennsylvania resident | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $15,972 | $15,268 | +$704 |
| Books & supplies | $1,840 | $1,840 | $0 |
| Housing & meals | $13,820 | $11,912 | +$1,908 |
| Personal & travel | $4,788 | $4,788 | $0 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,861 | −$5,013 | +$1,152 |
| Sticker price | $32,559 | $28,795 | +$3,764 |
| Average grants | −$10,346 | −$10,724 | +$378 |
| You pay | $22,213 | $18,071 | +$4,142 |
“+” means Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
What is the Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona acceptance rate?
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona accepts 98% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 6,942 of 7,134 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1070–1290 on the SAT or 22–28 on the ACT.
How much does Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $32,559 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $22,213 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $16,017 and families earning $110k+ pay $28,263.
How much do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona graduates earn?
Former Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona students earn a median $63,435 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona graduation rate?
17% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 80% return for their second year.
How long does a Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona costs about $82,722 after grants ($19,464 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $63,435 ten years after starting, $27,638 more than high school graduates in Pennsylvania ($35,797), so the cost is repaid in 3.0 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-penn-state-altoona (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).