Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. Providence

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

 Penn State Wilkes-Barre Providence
Location Lehman, PA Providence, RI
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 353 4,635
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #119
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu providence.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Wilkes-Barre Providence
Tuition (In State) $13,824 $59,830
Tuition (Out of State) $23,316 $59,830
Room & Board $13,448 $17,150
Avg Net Price $16,275 $46,645
Avg Grant Aid $8,945 $30,040
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 82%

Admission

 Penn State Wilkes-Barre Providence
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 640 12,469
Admitted 605 6,075
Acceptance Rate 94.5% 48.7%
Enrolled % 14.9% 19.7%
Avg High School GPA - 3.47
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/32
SAT Range 1060/1305 1250/1400
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

 Penn State Wilkes-Barre Providence
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (28%)
  • Engineering Technology (19%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)
  • Business (33%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Wilkes-Barre Providence
Graduation Rate 47% 85%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $68,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

 Penn State Wilkes-Barre Providence
% Men 0% 4%
% Women 1% 6%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 77%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 Penn State Wilkes-Barre Providence
% In-State 83% 8%
% Out-of-State 17% 90%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Providence College is larger than than Penn State Wilkes-Barre based on total student enrollment (4,635 students vs. 353 students)

Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. Providence Cost Comparison

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

  • Providence College is 332.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State Wilkes-Barre for in-state tuition ($59,830.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 156.6% higher at Providence than Penn State Wilkes Barre ($59,830.00 vs. $23,316.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Wilkes Barre than Providence ($16,275 vs. $46,645)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Wilkes Barre are 27.5% lower than costs at Providence College ($13,448 vs. $17,150)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Wilkes Barre than Providence College (91% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Providence College students is 235.8% larger than aid received Penn State Wilkes Barre ($30,040 vs. $8,945)

Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. Providence Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre has a higher acceptance rate (94.5%) than Providence (48.7%)

Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. Providence Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Wilkes-Barre or Providence? 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 Providence and Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

  • The graduation rate at Providence is higher than Penn State Wilkes Barre (85% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Providence College earn on average $12,700 more per year than Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates after ten years. ($68,000 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Wilkes Barre students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Providence graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Providence graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Providence graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Wilkes-Barre students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 69%)

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