Duquesne University vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre

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

 Duquesne University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Location Pittsburgh, PA Lehman, PA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 8,137 353
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website duq.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Duquesne University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Tuition (In State) $47,146 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $47,146 $23,316
Room & Board $15,620 $13,448
Avg Net Price $35,125 $16,275
Avg Grant Aid $27,980 $8,945
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 91%

Admission

 Duquesne University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,112 640
Admitted 11,128 605
Acceptance Rate 78.9% 94.5%
Enrolled % 13.3% 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 1160/1350 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 Aug 15, 2026

Academics

 Duquesne University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (31%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (28%)
  • Engineering Technology (19%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)

Outcomes

 Duquesne University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Graduation Rate 73% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,100 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $279 $277

Diversity

 Duquesne University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% Men 13% 0%
% Women 23% 1%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 88%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Duquesne University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% In-State 70% 83%
% Out-of-State 27% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Duquesne University is larger than than Penn State Wilkes-Barre based on total student enrollment (8,137 students vs. 353 students)

Duquesne University vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Cost Comparison

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

  • Duquesne University is 241% more expensive to attend than Penn State Wilkes-Barre for in-state tuition ($47,146.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 102.2% higher at Duquesne University than Penn State Wilkes Barre ($47,146.00 vs. $23,316.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Wilkes Barre than Duquesne University ($16,275 vs. $35,125)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Wilkes Barre are 16.2% lower than costs at Duquesne University ($13,448 vs. $15,620)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Duquesne University than Penn State Wilkes Barre (100% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Duquesne University students is 212.8% larger than aid received Penn State Wilkes Barre ($27,980 vs. $8,945)

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

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

  • The average SAT score at Duquesne University (1138) is 156 points higher than at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (982)
  • Incoming Duquesne University students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (22)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre has a higher acceptance rate (94.5%) than Duquesne University (78.9%)

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

Which is better, Duquesne 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 Duquesne University.

  • The graduation rate at Duquesne University is higher than Penn State Wilkes Barre (73% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Duquesne University earn on average $9,800 more per year than Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates after ten years. ($65,100 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Wilkes Barre students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Duquesne University graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Duquesne University graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Duquesne 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/