Salem State University vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre

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

Salem State University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Location Salem, MA Lehman, PA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,539 368
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #733
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website salemstate.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Salem State University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Tuition (In State) $910 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $23,086
Room & Board $14,954 $12,984
Avg Net Price $19,277 $16,728
Avg Grant Aid $8,562 $10,598
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 94%

Admission

Salem State University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,093 653
Admitted 4,719 622
Acceptance Rate 92.7% 95.3%
Enrolled % 18.3% 20.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 -
Typical High School Grades B -
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range 986/1210 1070/1260
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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

Salem State University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (28%)
  • Engineering Technology (19%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)

Outcomes

Salem State University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Graduation Rate 42% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,400 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $248 $277

Diversity

Salem State University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% Men 31% 64%
% Women 69% 36%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 68% 88%
% Black 9% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

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

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Salem State University is larger than than Penn State Wilkes-Barre based on total student enrollment (6,539 students vs. 368 students)

Salem State University vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Wilkes Barre is 1,419.1% more expensive to attend than Salem State University for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 227.5% higher at Penn State Wilkes-Barre than Salem State University ($23,086.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Wilkes Barre than Salem State University ($16,728 vs. $19,277)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Wilkes Barre are 15.2% lower than costs at Salem State University ($12,984 vs. $14,954)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Salem State University than Penn State Wilkes Barre (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Wilkes Barre students is 23.8% larger than aid received Salem State University ($10,598 vs. $8,562)

Salem State University vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than Salem State University (92.7%)

Salem State University vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Wilkes-Barre is higher than Salem State University (47% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Wilkes Barre earn on average $10,900 more per year than Salem State University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $44,400)
  • Salem State University students graduate with a $2,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates. ($24,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Salem State University graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates. ($248 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Salem State University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 63%)

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