University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre

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

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Location Lowell, MA Lehman, PA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 17,153 368
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #406
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uml.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Tuition (In State) $15,462 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $33,830 $23,086
Room & Board $13,930 $12,984
Avg Net Price $17,240 $16,728
Avg Grant Aid $11,983 $10,598
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 94%

Admission

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,253 653
Admitted 10,532 622
Acceptance Rate 86% 95.3%
Enrolled % 18.4% 20.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/31
SAT Range 1170/1348 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 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (28%)
  • Engineering Technology (19%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)

Outcomes

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Graduation Rate 50% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $258 $277

Diversity

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% Men 57% 64%
% Women 43% 36%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 64% 88%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 10% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% In-State 87% 83%
% Out-of-State 10% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell is larger than than Penn State Wilkes-Barre based on total student enrollment (17,153 students vs. 368 students)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Cost Comparison

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

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell is 11.8% more expensive to attend than Penn State Wilkes-Barre for in-state tuition ($15,462.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.5% higher at University of Massachusetts-Lowell than Penn State Wilkes Barre ($33,830.00 vs. $23,086.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Wilkes Barre than University of Massachusetts-Lowell ($16,728 vs. $17,240)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Wilkes Barre are 7.3% lower than costs at University of Massachusetts Lowell ($12,984 vs. $13,930)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Wilkes Barre than University of Massachusetts Lowell (94% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Massachusetts Lowell students is 13.1% larger than aid received Penn State Wilkes Barre ($11,983 vs. $10,598)

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

Which college is harder to get into, University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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 Massachusetts-Lowell .

  • The average SAT score at University of Massachusetts Lowell (1197) is 215 points higher than at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (982)
  • Incoming University of Massachusetts-Lowell students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (22)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than University of Massachusetts-Lowell (86%)

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

Which is better, University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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 Massachusetts-Lowell.

  • The graduation rate at University of Massachusetts-Lowell is higher than Penn State Wilkes Barre (50% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates of University of Massachusetts Lowell and Penn State Wilkes-Barre have equivalent average earnings after ten years ($55,300 vs. $55,300)
  • University of Massachusetts Lowell students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
  • University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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 University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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/