Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. SU

Should I go to Penn State Wilkes Barre or Shenandoah University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Wilkes-Barre or SU 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

JMU University of Lynchburg Roanoke College VCU Marymount University Longwood University Liberty University Mason YCP CNU TU Shepherd University
Penn State Wilkes Barre vs. Shenandoah University comparison
Penn State Wilkes Barre Shenandoah University College 3 College 4
Penn State Wilkes Barre Shenandoah University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Penn State Wilkes-Barre SU
Location Lehman, PA Winchester, VA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 368 4,260
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #537
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu su.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State Wilkes-Barre SU
Tuition (In State) $13,824 $33,790
Tuition (Out of State) $23,086 $33,790
Room & Board $12,984 $11,230
Avg Net Price $16,728 $26,143
Avg Grant Aid $10,598 $23,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 100%

Admission

 Penn State Wilkes-Barre SU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 653 2,296
Admitted 622 1,845
Acceptance Rate 95.3% 80.4%
Enrolled % 20.4% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA - 3.7
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26
SAT Range 1070/1260 1010/1230
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Penn State Wilkes-Barre SU
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%)
  • Health Professions (36%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (17%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 Penn State Wilkes-Barre SU
Graduation Rate 47% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $48,300
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $258

Diversity

 Penn State Wilkes-Barre SU
% Men 64% 32%
% Women 36% 68%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 88% 59%
% Black 3% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 13%

Students

 Penn State Wilkes-Barre SU
% In-State 83% 52%
% Out-of-State 17% 48%

Campus

 Penn State Wilkes-Barre SU
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

  • Shenandoah University is larger than than Penn State Wilkes-Barre based on total student enrollment (4,260 students vs. 368 students)

Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. SU Cost Comparison

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

  • Shenandoah University is 144.4% more expensive to attend than Penn State Wilkes-Barre for in-state tuition ($33,790.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.4% higher at SU than Penn State Wilkes Barre ($33,790.00 vs. $23,086.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Wilkes Barre than SU ($16,728 vs. $26,143)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shenandoah University are 15.6% lower than costs at Penn State Wilkes Barre ($11,230 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shenandoah University than Penn State Wilkes Barre (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shenandoah University students is 121.4% larger than aid received Penn State Wilkes Barre ($23,467 vs. $10,598)

Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. SU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Shenandoah University (1005) is 23 points higher than at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (982)
  • Incoming Penn State Wilkes-Barre students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at SU (22)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than SU (80.4%)

Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. SU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Wilkes-Barre is higher than Shenandoah University (47% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Wilkes Barre earn on average $7,000 more per year than SU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $48,300)
  • Shenandoah University students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
  • SU graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 60%)

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