Clark University vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre

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

 Clark University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Location Worcester, MA Lehman, PA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 4,124 353
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #153
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website clarku.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Clark University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Tuition (In State) $54,760 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $54,760 $23,316
Room & Board $11,690 $13,448
Avg Net Price $32,767 $16,275
Avg Grant Aid $31,916 $8,945
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 91%

Admission

 Clark University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,730 640
Admitted 4,471 605
Acceptance Rate 41.7% 94.5%
Enrolled % 14.1% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/33
SAT Range 1240/1400 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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Clark University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Psychology (17%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (28%)
  • Engineering Technology (19%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)

Outcomes

 Clark University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Graduation Rate 80% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,100 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

 Clark University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% Men 23% 0%
% Women 20% 1%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 88%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 15% 0%
% Unknown Race 8% 1%

Students

 Clark University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% In-State 36% 83%
% Out-of-State 60% 17%

Campus

 Clark 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

  • Clark University is larger than than Penn State Wilkes-Barre based on total student enrollment (4,124 students vs. 353 students)

Clark University vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Cost Comparison

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

  • Clark University is 296.1% more expensive to attend than Penn State Wilkes-Barre for in-state tuition ($54,760.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 134.9% higher at Clark University than Penn State Wilkes Barre ($54,760.00 vs. $23,316.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Wilkes Barre than Clark University ($16,275 vs. $32,767)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clark University are 15% lower than costs at Penn State Wilkes Barre ($11,690 vs. $13,448)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Clark University than Penn State Wilkes Barre (97% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Clark University students is 256.8% larger than aid received Penn State Wilkes Barre ($31,916 vs. $8,945)

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

Which college is harder to get into, Clark 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 Clark University .

  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre has a higher acceptance rate (94.5%) than Clark University (41.7%)

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

Which is better, Clark 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 Clark University.

  • The graduation rate at Clark University is higher than Penn State Wilkes Barre (80% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Wilkes Barre earn on average $5,200 more per year than Clark University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $50,100)
  • Penn State Wilkes Barre students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Clark University graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Clark University graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Clark University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Wilkes-Barre students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 69%)

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