Arcadia vs. Wilkes

Should I go to Arcadia University or Wilkes University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Arcadia or Wilkes 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Arcadia University vs. Wilkes University comparison
Arcadia University Wilkes University College 3 College 4
Arcadia University Wilkes University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Arcadia Wilkes
Location Glenside, PA Wilkes-Barre, PA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 3,142 5,198
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #471 #416
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arcadia.edu wilkes.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Arcadia Wilkes
Tuition (In State) $47,590 $40,308
Tuition (Out of State) $47,590 $40,308
Room & Board $16,250 $16,006
Avg Net Price $26,994 $28,508
Avg Grant Aid $34,234 $28,507
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Arcadia Wilkes
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,688 6,414
Admitted 5,296 5,866
Acceptance Rate 79.2% 91.5%
Enrolled % 7.9% 8.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/30 20/29
SAT Range 1083/1310 1023/1270
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

Academics

Arcadia Wilkes
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Arcadia Wilkes
Graduation Rate 62% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $58,200
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $268

Diversity

Arcadia Wilkes
% Men 11% 13%
% Women 28% 49%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 68% 73%
% Black 9% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 3% 9%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Arcadia Wilkes
% In-State 66% 75%
% Out-of-State 32% 20%

Campus

Arcadia Wilkes
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Wilkes University is larger than than Arcadia based on total student enrollment (5,198 students vs. 3,142 students)

Arcadia vs. Wilkes Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Arcadia or Wilkes?

  • Arcadia University is 18.1% more expensive to attend than Wilkes for in-state tuition ($47,590.00 vs. $40,308.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.1% higher at Arcadia than Wilkes University ($47,590.00 vs. $40,308.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Arcadia University than Wilkes ($26,994 vs. $28,508)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wilkes University are 1.5% lower than costs at Arcadia University ($16,006 vs. $16,250)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Arcadia University as Wilkes University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Arcadia University students is 20.1% larger than aid received Wilkes University ($34,234 vs. $28,507)

Arcadia vs. Wilkes Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Arcadia University (1104) is 51 points higher than at Wilkes (1053)
  • Accepted freshman Wilkes students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at Arcadia (3.42)
  • Wilkes has a higher acceptance rate (91.5%) than Arcadia (79.2%)

Arcadia vs. Wilkes Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Arcadia or Wilkes? 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 Wilkes and Arcadia.

  • The graduation rate at Arcadia is higher than Wilkes University (62% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Wilkes University earn on average $11,800 more per year than Arcadia graduates after ten years. ($58,200 vs. $46,400)
  • Wilkes University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Arcadia graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Wilkes graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Arcadia graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More Wilkes graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Arcadia students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 69%)

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