Bucknell vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre

Should I go to Bucknell University or Penn State Wilkes Barre? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bucknell 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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Bucknell University vs. Penn State Wilkes Barre comparison
Bucknell University Penn State Wilkes Barre College 3 College 4
Bucknell University Penn State Wilkes Barre
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Overview

 Bucknell Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Location Lewisburg, PA Lehman, PA
Setting Distant Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,787 368
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #71
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bucknell.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Bucknell Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Tuition (In State) $61,408 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $61,408 $23,086
Room & Board $15,358 $12,984
Avg Net Price $39,965 $16,728
Avg Grant Aid $37,775 $10,598
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 94%

Admission

 Bucknell Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,707 653
Admitted 3,811 622
Acceptance Rate 32.6% 95.3%
Enrolled % 27.1% 20.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Exceptional Average
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 30/33
SAT Range 1310/1470 1070/1260
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Bucknell Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (28%)
  • Engineering Technology (19%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)

Outcomes

 Bucknell Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Graduation Rate 91% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $76,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

 Bucknell Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% Men 48% 64%
% Women 52% 36%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 88%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 5% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 Bucknell Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% In-State 21% 83%
% Out-of-State 74% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bucknell University is larger than than Penn State Wilkes-Barre based on total student enrollment (3,787 students vs. 368 students)

Bucknell vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Cost Comparison

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

  • Bucknell University is 344.2% more expensive to attend than Penn State Wilkes-Barre for in-state tuition ($61,408.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 166% higher at Bucknell than Penn State Wilkes Barre ($61,408.00 vs. $23,086.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Wilkes Barre than Bucknell ($16,728 vs. $39,965)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Wilkes Barre are 18.3% lower than costs at Bucknell University ($12,984 vs. $15,358)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Wilkes Barre than Bucknell University (94% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bucknell University students is 256.4% larger than aid received Penn State Wilkes Barre ($37,775 vs. $10,598)

Bucknell vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Bucknell 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 Bucknell .

  • The average SAT score at Bucknell University (1315) is 333 points higher than at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (982)
  • Incoming Bucknell students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (22)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than Bucknell (32.6%)

Bucknell vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bucknell 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 Bucknell.

  • The graduation rate at Bucknell is higher than Penn State Wilkes Barre (91% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Bucknell University earn on average $21,000 more per year than Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates after ten years. ($76,300 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Wilkes Barre students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Bucknell graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Bucknell graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Bucknell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Wilkes-Barre students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 69%)

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