Altoona, Pennsylvania Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Altoona, Pennsylvania shows: median public in-state tuition $17,938 (+225.4% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $63,435 (+16.8% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 87.2% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $9,500 (-29.3% vs U.S.) 2,772 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 6 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 2,772 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $17,938 (+225.4% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $63,435 (+16.8% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 87.2% (-0.7 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $20,822 (+108.9% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $9,500 (-29.3% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $13,000
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 16.5%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 79.5%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Altoona, Pennsylvania—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Pennsylvania and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Altoona vs Pennsylvania & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altoona, Pennsylvania | $17,938 | $20,822 | $9,500 | 16.5% | 2,772 |
| Pennsylvania (state median) | $11,486 | $17,754 | $17,500 | 57.9% | 469,126 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Altoona, Pennsylvania vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altoona, Pennsylvania | $63,435 | 87.2% | 79.5% | 6.4% | — | 79.3% | 0.39 |
| Pennsylvania (state median) | $62,101 | 87.2% | 78.6% | 4.5% | — | 79.3% | 0.43 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Pennsylvania (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altoona, Pennsylvania | $17,938 | $20,822 | $9,500 | 16.5% | 2,772 | $63,435 | 87.2% |
| Philadelphia | $26,255 | $25,437 | $18,765 | 59.3% | 75,415 | $65,572 | 85.8% |
| Pittsburgh | $18,463 | $25,509 | $15,667 | 63.1% | 51,847 | $52,410 | 90.2% |
| Bethlehem | $36,006 | $27,006 | $15,495 | 79.8% | 16,100 | $83,722 | 81.4% |
| Harrisburg | $20,645 | $14,924 | $18,583 | 33.9% | 10,347 | $52,374 | 86.9% |
| Reading | $15,972 | $22,190 | $20,885 | 50.7% | 9,432 | $58,700 | 88.3% |
| Media | $15,029 | $12,213 | $16,500 | 23.5% | 9,216 | $63,435 | 87.2% |
| Scranton | $18,400 | $21,354 | $18,075 | 75.7% | 8,482 | $65,234 | 80.9% |
| Erie | $20,645 | $22,553 | $18,500 | 60.2% | 8,356 | $58,845 | 87.2% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Altoona, Pennsylvania by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 16.5%, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Top 10 colleges in Altoona, Pennsylvania by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 87.2%, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Top 10 most selective colleges in Altoona, Pennsylvania (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 98.1%, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Top 10 colleges in Altoona, Pennsylvania by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $84,050, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Top 10 colleges in Altoona, Pennsylvania by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $120,729, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Top 10 colleges in Altoona, Pennsylvania by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $55,620, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Top 10 colleges in Altoona, Pennsylvania by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $60,370, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Top 10 colleges in Altoona, Pennsylvania by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $63,435, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Top 10 colleges in Altoona, Pennsylvania by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $175,802, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Altoona, Pennsylvania (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $22,213, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Top 10 colleges in Altoona, Pennsylvania by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 79.5%, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
In-state tuition: Altoona, Pennsylvania vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Altoona, Pennsylvania median in-state tuition is $17,938, +225.4% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Altoona, Pennsylvania vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Altoona, Pennsylvania is $9,500 (-29.3% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $13,000.
Median earnings (10 years out): Altoona, Pennsylvania vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Altoona, Pennsylvania center around $63,435 (+16.8% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Altoona, Pennsylvania vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 87.2% at the median Altoona, Pennsylvania campus (-0.7 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Altoona, Pennsylvania median public in-state tuition is $17,938, about +225.4% vs the national median. Versus the Mid East region, tuition is +143.0%.
Median graduate debt is $9,500 (-29.3% below the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Altoona, Pennsylvania are $63,435, about +16.8% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 87.2% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (-0.7 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 79.5% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 6.4% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 79.3% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona (87.2%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Altoona, Pennsylvania is 16.5% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Altoona?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 6 campuses in Altoona, Pennsylvania with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Altoona?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Altoona is $17,938 and median net price is $20,822. For Pennsylvania overall, medians are $11,486 and $17,754; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Altoona?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Altoona is $63,435 vs $62,101 for Pennsylvania and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Altoona colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Altoona is $9,500 vs $17,500 for Pennsylvania and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Altoona?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona (graduation) and Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Altoona?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 6 College Scorecard campuses in Altoona, Pennsylvania, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, and none meet our 25% Hispanic-enrollment HSI proxy or report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- Pennsylvania college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON