College · Catholic life on campus
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
- LocationAltoona, PA
- Type and sizePublic · 4-year · 2,421 students
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona is not a Catholic college. This rating measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes.
Catholic life here hasn’t been researched yet. We research from official sources only, starting with the largest campuses, and we never guess. The nearest Catholic church mapped in OpenStreetMap is 1.0 miles away.
Know the official campus ministry or Mass schedule page? Send us the link.
Catholic churches nearby
- Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Catholic Church — 1.0 mi · 2301 5th Street, Altoona
- Holy Rosary Catholic Church — 1.1 mi · 900 North 4th Avenue, Altoona
- Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament — 1.8 mi
- Saint Mark Catholic Church — 1.9 mi · 416 6th Avenue, Altoona
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church — 2.0 mi · 1100 8th Avenue, Altoona
- Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church — 2.1 mi · 2000 12th Avenue, Altoona
Within 3 miles, as mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The map may be incomplete. Confirm with the parish or diocese.
My rating and notes
Sign in or create a free account to rate this school privately, keep notes, and save it to your list.
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.17%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.80%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,187 · ACT 25
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.13 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$3,624
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
Campus facts
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| ROTC | Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 13 to 1 |
Federal data (IPEDS). None of this changes the faith grades.
Cost and value
Federal data, shown separately. Cost, debt, and earnings are never part of any grade.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,421 |
|---|---|
| Total students | 2,421 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $22,213 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $32,559 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 17% |
| First-year retention | 80% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $63,435 |
| Admission rate | 98% |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 29% |
| Average SAT | 1187 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 530–650 |
| SAT math | 540–640 |
| ACT composite | 22–28 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value index: 37 / 100 (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Local Church
Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
The Most Reverend Mark L. Bartchak, Bishop of Altoona-Johnstown
Formal address: “Your Excellency”
Cathedral: Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament
Source: dioceseaj.org, verified Oct. 7, 2026.
Diocese determined from the county, using the diocese’s county list (Wikipedia). Confirm with the diocese.
About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 214689
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Report an error or a newer source
- Respond as this school
Questions families ask
- Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona a Catholic college?
- No. Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona is not a Catholic college. Catholic School Compass rates the Catholic life on its campus instead.
Ask the school
Something you want to know that isn’t on this page? Ask it here. We send it to the school, and their answer appears on this page. Your name is never shared.
Reviews
Personal experiences from signed-in readers. Reviews are moderated automatically and never change a school’s grades.
No reviews yet.
Sign in to write a review.
Colleges like this one
Close in size, cost after aid, selectivity and faith life.
More in Pennsylvania · Pennsylvania rankings