Best Technical Communication Schools Near Altoona, PA (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Altoona, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering technical communication programs, with tuition ranging from $25,588 to $83,654 per year for indexed programs. Altoona has a population of about 43,508. Median household income is $50,171 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Pennsylvania, the top-earning technical communication-related role is Technical Writer at a median $87,620 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Technical Communication Schools to Altoona

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer technical communication programs near Altoona, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Altoona city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Altoona. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA 81.1 miles from Altoona
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
80.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 12%
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $114,862
Avg net price $31,944/yr
Tuition
In‑state$66,246
Out‑of‑state$66,246
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 128

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Pittsburgh, PA 81.7 miles from Altoona
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,125
Avg net price $30,434/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 239

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, PA 94.2 miles from Altoona
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,032
Avg net price $19,608/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 85

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

York College of Pennsylvania

York, PA 96.4 miles from Altoona
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
66.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,012
Avg net price $18,556/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,588
Out‑of‑state$25,588
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown, PA 98.4 miles from Altoona
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,399
Avg net price $26,598/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Washington & Jefferson College

Washington, PA 99.6 miles from Altoona
  • 4 year
61.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,918
Avg net price $25,002/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Waynesburg University

Waynesburg, PA 103.2 miles from Altoona
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,537
Avg net price $18,235/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Thiel College

Greenville, PA 120.9 miles from Altoona
  • 4 year
29.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,714
Avg net price $22,347/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Pennsylvania schools on the Pennsylvania technical communication page.

Technical Communication Wages Near Altoona

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Pennsylvania, statewide)
Technical Writer$87,620
Editor$63,460
Writer and Author$77,410

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Altoona at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population43,508Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$50,171Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+19.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)89.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Altoona-Area Cities With Technical Communication Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited technical communication schools are near Altoona, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering technical communication programs near Altoona. The closest is Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA (81.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Elizabethtown College (98.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying technical communication roles in Pennsylvania?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying technical communication-related roles in Pennsylvania are: Technical Writer ($87,620), Writer and Author ($77,410), Editor ($63,460). Wages for Altoona workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Johnstown instead of Altoona?

Johnstown, PA is 30.0 miles from Altoona and has its own set of local technical communication programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Altoona an affordable place to study technical communication?

Altoona’s median household income of $50,171 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Altoona while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Technical Communication Programs

Other Programs Available in Altoona

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Altoona:

Data verified: August 31, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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