Alfred University vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre

Should I go to Alfred University or Penn State Wilkes Barre? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Alfred University or Penn State Wilkes-Barre is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Alfred University vs. Penn State Wilkes Barre comparison
Alfred University Penn State Wilkes Barre College 3 College 4
Alfred University Penn State Wilkes Barre
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Overview

 Alfred University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Location Alfred, NY Lehman, PA
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,843 353
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #292
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website alfred.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Alfred University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Tuition (In State) $38,270 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $38,270 $23,316
Room & Board $14,240 $13,448
Avg Net Price $26,127 $16,275
Avg Grant Aid $28,371 $8,945
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 91%

Admission

 Alfred University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,761 640
Admitted 3,751 605
Acceptance Rate 48.3% 94.5%
Enrolled % 11.5% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/31
SAT Range 1100/1280 1060/1305
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Alfred University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (29%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • English and Literature (4%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (28%)
  • Engineering Technology (19%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)

Outcomes

 Alfred University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Graduation Rate 60% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

 Alfred University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% Men 6% 0%
% Women 17% 1%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 66% 88%
% Black 9% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 10% 1%

Students

 Alfred University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% In-State 72% 83%
% Out-of-State 20% 17%

Campus

 Alfred University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Campus Housing Yes No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Alfred University is larger than than Penn State Wilkes-Barre based on total student enrollment (1,843 students vs. 353 students)

Alfred University vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alfred University or Penn State Wilkes-Barre?

  • Alfred University is 176.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State Wilkes-Barre for in-state tuition ($38,270.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 64.1% higher at Alfred University than Penn State Wilkes Barre ($38,270.00 vs. $23,316.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Wilkes Barre than Alfred University ($16,275 vs. $26,127)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Wilkes Barre are 5.9% lower than costs at Alfred University ($13,448 vs. $14,240)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Alfred University than Penn State Wilkes Barre (99% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Alfred University students is 217.2% larger than aid received Penn State Wilkes Barre ($28,371 vs. $8,945)

Alfred University vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Alfred University or Penn State Wilkes-Barre? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State Wilkes-Barre or Alfred University .

  • The average SAT score at Alfred University (1057) is 75 points higher than at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (982)
  • Incoming Alfred University students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (22)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre has a higher acceptance rate (94.5%) than Alfred University (48.3%)

Alfred University vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alfred University or Penn State Wilkes-Barre? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Penn State Wilkes-Barre and Alfred University.

  • The graduation rate at Alfred University is higher than Penn State Wilkes Barre (60% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Wilkes Barre earn on average $9,600 more per year than Alfred University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $45,700)
  • Penn State Wilkes Barre students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Alfred University graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Alfred University graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Alfred University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Wilkes-Barre students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/