Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona

Altoona, PA 16601
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Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona (PSU or Penn State) is a public institution. The campus is part of the Penn State school system, which includes ten campuses throughout the state. The Altoona campus offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The Altoona campus was established in 1939. Immediately after opening the campus, the university struggled to keep up with the increased demand. They soon purchased more land and expanded the campus to accommodate the growing student population. Students are also active in the community and on campus, with over 75 student groups and organizations.

The Altoona campus of Penn State offers an associate’s degree in nursing, along with a traditional BSN program and an accelerated BSN program. The BSN programs are accredited by the CCNE. With the traditional BSN program, students receive training at a state-of-the-art simulation learning center and through clinical experiences. This is a full-time program that is designed to be completed in the standard four years. The accelerated program is a 16-month program for those with a bachelor’s degree in another field. It includes several prerequisite courses that can be completed at Penn State or any accredited institution. The RN to BSN program is intended for registered nurses that have a diploma or associate’s degree in nursing.

Institution Overview

Campus LocaleSmall City
Number of Students3,482
Student to Faculty Ratio15:1
Is Admission OpenNo
Religious Affiliation -
Level4-year
TypePublic
On Campus HousingYes
Retention Rate82%

Nursing Programs

Nursing Programs Graduates (2017-2018 academic year)

Number of Graduates
Degree type Men Women
Associate's degree 2 4
Bachelor's degree 3 25
Certificate 0 0

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Admission

92%

Acceptance Rate
Enrolled students test score (Fall 2017)
SAT1000 to 1180
ACT21 to 26
Admission considerations
Secondary school GPA Required
Secondary school rank Recommended
Secondary school record Required
Completion of college-preparatory program Recommended
Recommendations Neither required nor recommended
Formal demonstration of competencies Neither required nor recommended
Admission test scores (SAT/ACT) Required
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Required
Other Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.) Neither required nor recommended

In addition to the college's admission requirements each nursing program might have its own admission criteria (such as: TEAS score, HESI A2 score, nursing prerequisites GPA, etc).
Application fee
Undergrads $65
Graduates $65

Cost to Attend

The following table details the reported cost of attendance per credit hour for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Undergrad courses
In District Students$592/credit
In State Students$592/credit
Out of State Students$947/credit
Graduate courses
In District Students$857/credit
In State Students$857/credit
Out of State Students$1,130/credit

Tuition Estimates

Based on the above credit hour costs, here is a sample tuition for different nursing programs.

Program Credit Hours In district In State Out of State
LPN 45 $26,640 $26,640 $42,615
ADN 70 $41,440 $41,440 $66,290
BSN 125 $74,000 $74,000 $118,375
Please note that the above cost estimate does not include school fees, books, supplies, etc.You need to allot additional money for that.
If you attend a private, for-profit school, usually the additional cost (besides tuition) is about 10% of the tuition. If you attend a public school or a not-for-profit private school, the additional cost is around 50% of the tuition.

Financial Aid

In 2017-2018 academic year, 81% of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona's students received financial aid. Below is the breakdown of the financial aid provided to students.

Students Receiving Aid Average Amount/Student
Pell Grant 31% $4,262
Other Federal Grant 8% $1,510
State Grant & Scholarships 27% $3,597
Institutional Grant & Scholarships 49% $4,642
Federal Student Loans 62% $5,476
Private Loans 16% $14,870

$21,469

Average Net Price
The average net price is calculated by subtracting the average amount of financial aid received by students from the total cost of attendance.
Average Net Price by Family Income
Less than $30,000$18,337
$30,001 to $48,000$19,236
$48,001 to $75,000$21,568
$75,001 to $110,000$26,361
Over $110,000$28,617

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Student Population

3,482

Undergrads

0

Graduates

1,567

Women

1,915

Men

97%

Full-time

3%

Par-time

Ethnic Diversity
White
74%
Non-resident alien
7%
Black/African American
6%
Hispanic
6%
Asian
3%
Two or more races
3%
Race/ethnicity unknown
1%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0%

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Data source: https://nces.ed.gov (2017-2018 colleges survey) and Pennsylvania state board of nursing.
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
3000 Ivyside Park
Altoona, PA 16601
Website

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