Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. Roger Williams University

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

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Roger Williams University
Location Lehman, PA Bristol, RI
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 353 4,344
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #336
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu rwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Roger Williams University
Tuition (In State) $13,824 $42,336
Tuition (Out of State) $23,316 $42,336
Room & Board $13,448 $16,690
Avg Net Price $16,275 $37,936
Avg Grant Aid $8,945 $22,491
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 99%

Admission

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Roger Williams University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 640 8,238
Admitted 605 7,231
Acceptance Rate 94.5% 87.8%
Enrolled % 14.9% 14.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.43
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/30
SAT Range 1060/1305 1130/1300
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Roger Williams University
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (28%)
  • Engineering Technology (19%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Architecture (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Roger Williams University
Graduation Rate 47% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $53,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Roger Williams University
% Men 0% 3%
% Women 1% 4%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 75%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 9%

Students

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Roger Williams University
% In-State 83% 16%
% Out-of-State 17% 82%

Campus

Penn State Wilkes-Barre Roger Williams University
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

  • Roger Williams University is larger than than Penn State Wilkes-Barre based on total student enrollment (4,344 students vs. 353 students)

Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. Roger Williams University Cost Comparison

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

  • Roger Williams University is 206.2% more expensive to attend than Penn State Wilkes-Barre for in-state tuition ($42,336.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 81.6% higher at Roger Williams University than Penn State Wilkes Barre ($42,336.00 vs. $23,316.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Wilkes Barre than Roger Williams University ($16,275 vs. $37,936)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Wilkes Barre are 24.1% lower than costs at Roger Williams University ($13,448 vs. $16,690)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Roger Williams University than Penn State Wilkes Barre (99% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Roger Williams University students is 151.4% larger than aid received Penn State Wilkes Barre ($22,491 vs. $8,945)

Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. Roger Williams University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre has a higher acceptance rate (94.5%) than Roger Williams University (87.8%)

Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. Roger Williams University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Wilkes-Barre or Roger Williams University? 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 Roger Williams University and Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

  • The graduation rate at Roger Williams University is higher than Penn State Wilkes Barre (59% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Wilkes Barre earn on average $2,300 more per year than Roger Williams University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $53,000)
  • Penn State Wilkes Barre students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than Roger Williams University graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Roger Williams University graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More Roger Williams 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/