Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. University of Scranton

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

Penn State Wilkes-Barre University of Scranton
Location Lehman, PA Scranton, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 353 4,825
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #254
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu scranton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Wilkes-Barre University of Scranton
Tuition (In State) $13,824 $51,534
Tuition (Out of State) $23,316 $51,534
Room & Board $13,448 $16,918
Avg Net Price $16,275 $32,100
Avg Grant Aid $8,945 $35,819
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 98%

Admission

Penn State Wilkes-Barre University of Scranton
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 640 9,530
Admitted 605 8,039
Acceptance Rate 94.5% 84.4%
Enrolled % 14.9% 12.8%
Avg High School GPA - 3.56
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/30
SAT Range 1060/1305 1150/1320
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 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

Penn State Wilkes-Barre University of Scranton
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (28%)
  • Engineering Technology (19%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Penn State Wilkes-Barre University of Scranton
Graduation Rate 47% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $279

Diversity

Penn State Wilkes-Barre University of Scranton
% Men 0% 10%
% Women 1% 14%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 82%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Penn State Wilkes-Barre University of Scranton
% In-State 83% 44%
% Out-of-State 17% 56%

Campus

Penn State Wilkes-Barre University of Scranton
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

  • University of Scranton is larger than than Penn State Wilkes-Barre based on total student enrollment (4,825 students vs. 353 students)

Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. University of Scranton Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Wilkes-Barre or University of Scranton?

  • University of Scranton is 272.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State Wilkes-Barre for in-state tuition ($51,534.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 121% higher at University of Scranton than Penn State Wilkes Barre ($51,534.00 vs. $23,316.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Wilkes Barre than University of Scranton ($16,275 vs. $32,100)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Wilkes Barre are 25.8% lower than costs at University of Scranton ($13,448 vs. $16,918)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Scranton than Penn State Wilkes Barre (98% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Scranton students is 300.4% larger than aid received Penn State Wilkes Barre ($35,819 vs. $8,945)

Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. University of Scranton Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Scranton (1134) is 152 points higher than at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (982)
  • Incoming University of Scranton students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (22)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre has a higher acceptance rate (94.5%) than University of Scranton (84.4%)

Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs. University of Scranton Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Wilkes-Barre or University of Scranton? 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 University of Scranton and Penn State Wilkes-Barre.

  • The graduation rate at University of Scranton is higher than Penn State Wilkes Barre (77% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University of Scranton earn on average $6,800 more per year than Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $55,300)
  • Penn State Wilkes Barre students graduate with a $182 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Scranton graduates. ($26,818 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than University of Scranton graduates. ($277 vs. $279)
  • More University of Scranton graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Wilkes-Barre students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 69%)

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