Penn State vs. Wilkes

Deciding between Penn State Main Campus and Wilkes University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Penn State Main Campus
Wilkes University

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Wilkes Wilkes-Barre, PA
  • Setting
  • Penn State Small City
  • Wilkes Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Wilkes 5,381
  • Type
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • Wilkes Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Penn State #185
  • Wilkes #414
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Penn State -
  • Wilkes -
  • Status
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Wilkes Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Penn State
  • Wilkes

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Wilkes $43,496
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Wilkes $43,496
  • Room & Board
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Wilkes $16,166
  • Average Net Price
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Wilkes $28,511
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Penn State $11,336
  • Wilkes $28,324
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Penn State 37%
  • Wilkes 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Wilkes 7,660
  • Admitted
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Wilkes 6,943
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Wilkes 90.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Wilkes 9.3%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Penn State 1330
  • Wilkes 1140
  • Typical ACT score
  • Penn State 29
  • Wilkes 25
  • Average High School GPA
  • Penn State -
  • Wilkes 3.56
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Penn State -
  • Wilkes A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Penn State Very High
  • Wilkes Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • Penn State Low
  • Wilkes
  • ACT Range
  • Penn State 27/32
  • Wilkes 22/29
  • SAT Range
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Wilkes 1020/1250
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Wilkes Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Penn State
  • Wilkes

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Wilkes 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Wilkes
    • Business (18%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Engineering (11%)
    • Communication (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Penn State 87%
  • Wilkes 58%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Wilkes $58,200
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Penn State 69%
  • Wilkes 75%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Wilkes $26,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Penn State $277
  • Wilkes $268

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Penn State 52%
  • Wilkes 32%
  • % Women
  • Penn State 48%
  • Wilkes 68%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Penn State Medium
  • Wilkes Low
  • HBCU
  • Penn State No
  • Wilkes No
  • % White
  • Penn State 69%
  • Wilkes 73%
  • % Asian
  • Penn State 6%
  • Wilkes 3%
  • % Black
  • Penn State 4%
  • Wilkes 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Penn State 6%
  • Wilkes 6%
  • % Native American
  • Penn State 0%
  • Wilkes 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Penn State 0%
  • Wilkes 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Penn State 3%
  • Wilkes 4%
  • % International
  • Penn State 11%
  • Wilkes 9%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Penn State 2%
  • Wilkes 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Penn State 53%
  • Wilkes 65%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Penn State 40%
  • Wilkes 20%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Penn State Yes
  • Wilkes Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Penn State Yes
  • Wilkes No
  • Meal Plan
  • Penn State Yes
  • Wilkes Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Wilkes Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Penn State Yes
  • Wilkes No

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA with Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Wilkes based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 5,381 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Penn State Main Campus is located in University Park, PA (Small City setting); Wilkes University is in Wilkes-Barre, PA (Small City setting).
  • Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Wilkes University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Main Campus 16:1; Wilkes University 13:1.

Penn State vs. Wilkes Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or Wilkes? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Wilkes ($27,889 vs. $28,511).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 10.5% lower than at Wilkes University ($14,474 vs. $16,166).
  • Wilkes University is 110.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Penn State (about $22,852 more per year; $43,496.00 vs. $20,644.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 4.1% higher at Wilkes than at Penn State Main Campus (about $1,706 more per year; $43,496.00 vs. $41,790.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Wilkes University than at Penn State Main Campus (100% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wilkes University students is 149.9% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($28,324 vs. $11,336).

Penn State vs. Wilkes Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State or Wilkes? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Wilkes and Penn State.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 190 points higher than at Wilkes (1140).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 25 at Wilkes).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420; Wilkes University 1020/1250.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Penn State Main Campus 27/32; Wilkes University 22/29.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State - Test optional; Wilkes - Test optional.
  • Wilkes has a higher acceptance rate (90.6%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.1% at Penn State vs. 9.3% at Wilkes.

Penn State vs. Wilkes Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State and Wilkes? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than Wilkes University's (58%).
  • Graduates from Wilkes University earn a median of about $2,900 more per year than Penn State graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,200 vs. $55,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Wilkes University graduates have a $818 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($26,000 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Wilkes graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($268 vs. $277).
  • More Wilkes graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.