University of Akron vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre

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

University of Akron Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Location Akron, OH Lehman, PA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 13,465 368
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #838
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uakron.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Akron Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Tuition (In State) $10,097 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $13,170 $23,086
Room & Board $12,410 $12,984
Avg Net Price $14,667 $16,728
Avg Grant Aid $8,525 $10,598
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 94%

Admission

University of Akron Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,282 653
Admitted 10,178 622
Acceptance Rate 82.9%Open 95.3%
Enrolled % 20.8%Open 20.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25
SAT Range 980/1230 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

University of Akron Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Engineering Technology (6%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (28%)
  • Engineering Technology (19%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)

Outcomes

University of Akron Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Graduation Rate 38% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,100 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $263 $277

Diversity

University of Akron Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% Men 50% 64%
% Women 50% 36%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 88%
% Black 12% 3%
% Hispanic 2% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

University of Akron Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% In-State 92% 83%
% Out-of-State 7% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Akron Main Campus is larger than than Penn State Wilkes-Barre based on total student enrollment (13,465 students vs. 368 students)

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

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

  • Penn State Wilkes Barre is 36.9% more expensive to attend than University of Akron for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $10,097.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 75.3% higher at Penn State Wilkes-Barre than University of Akron Main Campus ($23,086.00 vs. $13,170.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Akron Main Campus than Penn State Wilkes-Barre ($14,667 vs. $16,728)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Akron Main Campus are 4.6% lower than costs at Penn State Wilkes Barre ($12,410 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Akron Main Campus than Penn State Wilkes Barre (96% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Wilkes Barre students is 24.3% larger than aid received University of Akron Main Campus ($10,598 vs. $8,525)

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

Which college is harder to get into, University of Akron 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 University of Akron .

  • The average SAT score at University of Akron Main Campus (1049) is 67 points higher than at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (982)
  • Incoming University of Akron students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (22)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than University of Akron (82.9%)

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

Which is better, University of Akron 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 University of Akron.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Wilkes-Barre is higher than University of Akron Main Campus (47% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Wilkes Barre earn on average $15,200 more per year than University of Akron graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $40,100)
  • University of Akron Main Campus students graduate with a $1,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates. ($25,500 vs. $26,818)
  • University of Akron graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates. ($263 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Akron students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 45%)

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