Penn State New Kensington vs. UVa-Wise

Should I go to Penn State New Kensington or The University of Virginia's College at Wise? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State New Kensington or UVa-Wise 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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Penn State New Kensington vs. The University of Virginia's College at Wise comparison
Penn State New Kensington The University of Virginia's College at Wise College 3 College 4
The University of Virginia's College at Wise
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Overview

Penn State New Kensington UVa-Wise
Location Upper Burrell, PA Wise, VA
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 460 1,704
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #750
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu uvawise.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State New Kensington UVa-Wise
Tuition (In State) $13,824 $6,040
Tuition (Out of State) $23,086 $25,419
Room & Board $12,984 $11,919
Avg Net Price $19,757 $9,923
Avg Grant Aid $7,860 $14,299
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 98%

Admission

Penn State New Kensington UVa-Wise
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 678 835
Admitted 620 631
Acceptance Rate 91.4% 75.6%
Enrolled % 21.6% 39.8%
Avg High School GPA - 3.57
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30 19/25
SAT Range 1080/1210 915/1160
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 1, 2025

Academics

Penn State New Kensington UVa-Wise
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

Penn State New Kensington UVa-Wise
Graduation Rate 40% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $42,100
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $20,827
Median Loan Payment $277 $215

Diversity

Penn State New Kensington UVa-Wise
% Men 60% 40%
% Women 40% 60%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 78%
% Black 5% 12%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

Penn State New Kensington UVa-Wise
% In-State 85% 76%
% Out-of-State 13% 21%

Campus

Penn State New Kensington UVa-Wise
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Virginia's College at Wise is larger than than Penn State New Kensington based on total student enrollment (1,704 students vs. 460 students)

Penn State New Kensington vs. UVa-Wise Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State New Kensington or UVa-Wise?

  • Penn State New Kensington is 128.9% more expensive to attend than UVa-Wise for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $6,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.1% higher at UVa-Wise than Penn State New Kensington ($25,419.00 vs. $23,086.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than Penn State New Kensington ($9,923 vs. $19,757)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Virginia's College at Wise are 8.9% lower than costs at Penn State New Kensington ($11,919 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than Penn State New Kensington (98% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Virginia's College at Wise students is 81.9% larger than aid received Penn State New Kensington ($14,299 vs. $7,860)

Penn State New Kensington vs. UVa-Wise Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State New Kensington or UVa-Wise? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UVa-Wise or Penn State New Kensington .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State New Kensington (980) is 38 points higher than at UVa-Wise (942)
  • Incoming Penn State New Kensington students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at UVa-Wise (20)
  • Penn State New Kensington has a higher acceptance rate (91.4%) than UVa-Wise (75.6%)

Penn State New Kensington vs. UVa-Wise Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State New Kensington or UVa-Wise? 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 UVa-Wise and Penn State New Kensington.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State New Kensington is higher than The University of Virginia's College at Wise (40% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Penn State New Kensington earn on average $13,200 more per year than UVa-Wise graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $42,100)
  • The University of Virginia's College at Wise students graduate with a $5,991 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State New Kensington graduates. ($20,827 vs. $26,818)
  • UVa-Wise graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State New Kensington graduates. ($215 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State New Kensington graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UVa-Wise students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 57%)

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