# Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona

Public college in Altoona, PA. IPEDS ID 214689.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-penn-state-altoona · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-penn-state-altoona.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 98% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $22,213 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 17%; beats 2% of PA colleges and 3% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $63,435; beats 54% of PA colleges and 77% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $19,500

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $16,017 |
| 30-48k | $16,546 |
| 48-75k | $19,464 |
| 75-110k | $23,562 |
| 110k+ | $28,263 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, in-state. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.25 years on average (14% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $63,435 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| 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 |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $32,559 in-state; about $43,545 out-of-state
- Tuition and fees: $15,972 in-state, $26,958 out-of-state
- Housing and meals: $13,820; books: $1,840

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: 530–650; SAT math: 540–640; ACT: 22–28 (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 7,134 applicants, 6,942 admitted, 859 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 98%, ACT 22–28 (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 97%, ACT 22–27 (IPEDS Admissions)

### Common Data Set 2025-26 (Fall 2025)
- Very important: gpa; important: rigor; considered: test scores, talent, geography, state residency
- Early decision: no; early action: yes; waitlist: no
- Average high school GPA of enrolled first-years: 3.24
- Aid (full-time first-years): average 66.1% of need met; 161 of 538 with need fully met; merit aid to students without need: 115 students, average $5,577
- Source: https://opair.psu.edu/files/2026/09/CDS_2025_2026_Altoona_v3.pdf

## Majors (22 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $84,050 | $120,729 | $26,000 |
| Information Technology | $73,941 | $98,637 | $26,917 |
| Nursing | $77,955 | $91,032 | $27,000 |
| Accounting | $63,425 | $88,192 | $26,000 |
| Electromechanical Technologies / Technicians | $65,043 | $81,835 | $27,000 |
| Civil Engineering | $67,966 | $81,403 | $26,838 |
| Mathematics | $59,629 | $77,336 | $25,000 |
| Political Science | $41,201 | $68,918 | $26,000 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $30,133 | $67,399 | $27,000 |
| Business | $45,110 | $65,292 | $27,000 |
| Biology | $33,417 | $64,910 | $26,000 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | $37,330 | $60,193 | $26,000 |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | $37,834 | $58,195 | $27,750 |
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | $43,324 | $58,105 | $26,000 |
| Criminal Justice | $37,240 | $56,877 | $26,000 |
| Communications | $34,181 | $55,505 | $25,875 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $45,795 | $53,362 | $26,263 |
| History | $28,803 | $52,871 | $26,322 |
| English | $29,848 | $50,299 | $26,000 |
| Psychology | $32,408 | $49,543 | $27,000 |
| Human Development and Family Studies | $34,030 | $45,943 | $28,000 |
| Visual and Performing Arts | $25,702 | $45,170 | $24,638 |

## Major to career
- Business → Management analyst: median wage $91,560 (Altoona, PA), $93,830 (PA), $101,860 (U.S.)
- Nursing → Registered nurse: median wage $82,410 (Altoona, PA), $96,430 (PA), $97,550 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).