Clarkson vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre

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

 Clarkson Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Location Potsdam, NY Lehman, PA
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,603 353
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #183
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website clarkson.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Clarkson Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Tuition (In State) $56,642 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $56,642 $23,316
Room & Board $17,016 $13,448
Avg Net Price $33,192 $16,275
Avg Grant Aid $43,097 $8,945
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 91%

Admission

 Clarkson Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,347 640
Admitted 5,669 605
Acceptance Rate 77.2% 94.5%
Enrolled % 10.7% 14.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.8 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/31
SAT Range 1198/1390 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

 Clarkson Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (48%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Communication (3%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (28%)
  • Engineering Technology (19%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)

Outcomes

 Clarkson Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Graduation Rate 72% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,800 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

 Clarkson Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% Men 17% 0%
% Women 13% 1%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 88%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 Clarkson Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% In-State 65% 83%
% Out-of-State 29% 17%

Campus

 Clarkson 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

  • Clarkson University is larger than than Penn State Wilkes-Barre based on total student enrollment (3,603 students vs. 353 students)

Clarkson vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Cost Comparison

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

  • Clarkson University is 309.7% more expensive to attend than Penn State Wilkes-Barre for in-state tuition ($56,642.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 142.9% higher at Clarkson than Penn State Wilkes Barre ($56,642.00 vs. $23,316.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Wilkes Barre than Clarkson ($16,275 vs. $33,192)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Wilkes Barre are 26.5% lower than costs at Clarkson University ($13,448 vs. $17,016)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Clarkson University than Penn State Wilkes Barre (100% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Clarkson University students is 381.8% larger than aid received Penn State Wilkes Barre ($43,097 vs. $8,945)

Clarkson vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Clarkson 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 Clarkson .

  • The average SAT score at Clarkson University (1198) is 216 points higher than at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (982)
  • Incoming Clarkson students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (22)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre has a higher acceptance rate (94.5%) than Clarkson (77.2%)

Clarkson vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Clarkson 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 Clarkson.

  • The graduation rate at Clarkson is higher than Penn State Wilkes Barre (72% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Clarkson University earn on average $15,500 more per year than Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates after ten years. ($70,800 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Wilkes Barre students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Clarkson graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Clarkson graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Clarkson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Wilkes-Barre students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 69%)

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