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Altoona , PA
Penn State Altoona is a branch campus of the Pennsylvania State University located in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Established in 1939, it offers a wide range of academic programs, including undergraduate degrees, certificates, and minors in various fields. The campus is spread over 37 acres and is home to around 3,500 students.
Penn State Altoona provides a vibrant learning environment with a focus on hands-on learning, research opportunities, and community engagement. The faculty consists of accomplished scholars who are dedicated to teaching and mentoring students. The campus offers 18 bachelor's degrees that cover disciplines such as business, engineering, communications, arts, and sciences. Additionally, students have the opportunity to enhance their education through internships, cooperative education programs, and study abroad experiences.
Beyond academics, Penn State Altoona offers a robust campus life with a variety of student organizations, clubs, and activities. The campus has a student center equipped with amenities like a fitness center, gaming area, computer labs, and study spaces. Students can also participate in NCAA Division III athletics or enjoy recreational activities like hiking and biking on the trails surrounding the campus. With its commitment to academic excellence, inclusive environment, and comprehensive support services, Penn State Altoona offers students a well-rounded college experience.
Located in Altoona, PA and set in a suburban environment, Penn State Altoona is a public comprehensive higher education institution. This academic institution uses a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 98%. The freshman retention rate at Penn State Altoona is 79.5% and the six-year graduation rate is 61%.
Explore this school's profile to find out all the important things about Penn State Altoona.
Quick Facts
2,371
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
13:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
61%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you know as much as possible about the institution's criteria for admission, you can make a better judgment about your eligibility and boost your chances of getting accepted. Here are the most relevant information you have to know about admission policy and requirements at Penn State Altoona.
According to the newest data, this school uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 8,283 in 2025. Looking at entrance difficulty level for all or most incoming freshmen, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is very difficult to get into. Having a long tradition of academic success and a dedication to encouraging intellectual curiosity, Penn State Altoona offers a unique educational experience.
Test Scores
24.35% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 2.82% submitted ACT scores, out of the total number of those who submitted test scores. 6.28% of the new students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 38.16% between 1,200 and 1,399, 44.93% between 1,000 and 1,199, and 10.63% of the students between 800 and 999. The percent of first-year students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 8, 54 between 24-29, 25 in the range between 18-23, and 13 between 12-17.
The average ACT score for all the enrolled students in 2025 was 23 while the average GPA was 3.33. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into Penn State Altoona; the same goes for your ACT score.
The SAT Critical Reading average score was 545 for the enrolled first-year students, while the average SAT Math score was 550.
Retention Rate
The freshman retention rate is defined as the percentage of first-year students who return for their sophomore year at a college or university. When you create your list of possible schools to attend, make sure to consider the freshmen retention rate.
The freshman retention rate for Penn State Altoona was 79.5% in 2025, a clear indication of the excellence and value of the educational experience at this school.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. It reflects the proportion of students who obtain their degrees within the expected timeframe. The six-year completion rate at this institution is 61%.
Student Body
Making the choice of which school is the best place for you is not easy. You can better comprehend the culture and life of the school by getting to know more about the student body.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the institution had an enrollment of 2,371 students.
That year, the school had an out-of-state student body percentage of 29.66. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the school was 2,371, 108 of which were foreign students. The number of transfer students at this school was 78.
Student Population Gender Ratio
With a coeducational student body, the school had 1,239 male and 1,045 female full-time students in 2025.
Student Population Diversity
In order to promote a sense of inclusion and belonging among its students, higher education is dedicated to increasing student diversity. In a diverse learning space, you will be exposed to people from different backgrounds, which promotes the feeling of inclusion and acceptance. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
In 2025, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of Asian students was 113, and the number of Afro-American students was 187. 225 students at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 89 identified with more than one race. The school also had 2 students who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 4 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 21 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
The financial aspect is one of the most important things to consider before applying to any college or university. The latest information on the expenses that most students at this school incur are detailed below.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some numbers that can help you better understand the estimated tuition cost for this university.
If you are an area resident, your tuition was $15,388. For out-of-state students, tuition fees amounted to $26,638. Tuition costs at Penn State Altoona for international students equalled $26,638. Fees per academic year required of full-time students came to a total of $616 in 2025.
| Category | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-State | $26,638 | $616 | $27,254 |
| In-State | $15,388 | $616 | $16,004 |
Books and Supplies
The estimated cost of books and supplies for a college or university should also be taken into account as another important expense. The cost of books and supplies for full-time students of this school is estimated at about $1,200.
Boarding
When choosing a college, you should factor in the price of a dorm room and meals at the school cafeteria. What do colleges and universities typically charge for room and board?
The cost of room and board (on campus) per academic year at Penn State Altoona was $14,958 in 2025. If you only wanted a room on the campus, you had to pay $8,896 for the 2025 academic year. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was $11,936.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 15,388 |
| Room and Board | $ 14,958 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,200 |
| Total Expense | $ 31,546 |
Financial Aid
There are different types of financial support: grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study programs. Check out some recent data to get the info about need-based and non-need-based aid you might get at Penn State Altoona.
According to the most recent data, 557 freshmen were awarded financial aid. The average financial aid package awarded to students reached $13,699.
Need-based
Financial aid that a student can receive if they are determined to have financial need and meet other eligibility requirements is known as need-based aid.
881 students received some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Penn State Altoona isn't available to international students. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was estimated to be 1,500. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution was $4,450,640, and state $2,301,569. The students of Penn State Altoona received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $6,691,297, and external in the amount of $667,533.
$5,297
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Any financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid is considered non-need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
1,125 students, including freshmen, obtained institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid at this school in 2025. Institutional help in the form of non-need-based scholarships or grants was given to 472 full-time freshmen. The total dollar amount of federal non-need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the studens at this school was $4,450,640 while the state aid is $202,208. The total amount of non-need-based institutional scholarships/grants was $1,780,942. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. $431,783 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).
Majors
Faculty
13:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio represents the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Penn State Altoona was 13:1: that means 13 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. The faculty of this school consists of 208 members, according to the most recent data reported. This number included 102 male and 106 female faculty members. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school is telling of the importance gender equality has at Penn State Altoona.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
It is not all about learning and grades at Penn State Altoona: campus life is a crucial component of your educational experience. Find out some details about campus life at Penn State Altoona.
Student Organizations
A student organization is run by students at a university or a college institution, whose membership typically consists only of current students and/or alumni.
For those interested in acting, there is a drama club you can become part of. Interested in media and communication? Penn State Altoona publishes its own newspaper.
Student Services
Penn State Altoona has a number of services needed for a comfortable and secure life on campus.
24/7 emergency phone and alarm devices are available. There is a round-the-clock security patrol. The transport/escort service operates during late hours.
All in all, campus life at Penn State Altoona is rich and vibrant and provides everything most students need.
FAQ
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Penn State Altoona is located in Altoona, PA.
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Penn State Altoona doesn't offer need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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According to the latest information, the acceptance rate for Penn State Altoona is 98%.
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According to the latest information, the freshman retention rate for Penn State Altoona is 79.5%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.