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Lafayette College Lehigh Villanova University of Richmond Colgate Denison Trinity College Skidmore College Penn State UNC Chapel Hill Fordham BC| Wake Forest University | Bucknell University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Wake Forest | Bucknell | ||
| Location | Winston Salem, NC | Lewisburg, PA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 9,121 | 3,892 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #44 | #73 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wfu.edu | bucknell.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Wake Forest | Bucknell | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $63,608 | $64,418 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $63,608 | $64,418 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,848 | $16,118 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,790 | $38,486 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $55,090 | $41,211 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 34% | 56% |
Admission |
Wake Forest | Bucknell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 17,479 | 11,010 | ||
| Admitted | 3,768 | 3,524 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 21.6% | 32% | ||
| Enrolled % | 36.8% | 29.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | 3.62 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | High | ||
| ACT Range | 32/34 | 31/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1390/1510 | 1300/1450 | ||
| 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 | Jan 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Wake Forest | Bucknell | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 9:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Wake Forest | Bucknell | ||
| Graduation Rate | 88% | 91% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $77,200 | $76,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 88% | 89% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,000 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $237 | $279 |
Diversity |
Wake Forest | Bucknell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 16% | 0% | ||
| % Women | 24% | 1% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 72% | 77% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 7% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 0% |
Students |
Wake Forest | Bucknell | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 15% | 21% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 76% | 74% | ||
Campus |
Wake Forest | Bucknell | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Wake Forest University is larger than than Bucknell based on total student enrollment (9,121 students vs. 3,892 students)
Wake Forest vs. Bucknell Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Wake Forest or Bucknell?
- Bucknell University is 1.3% more expensive to attend than Wake Forest for in-state tuition ($64,418.00 vs. $63,608.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1.3% higher at Bucknell than Wake Forest University ($64,418.00 vs. $63,608.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wake Forest University than Bucknell ($27,790 vs. $38,486)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bucknell University are 10.7% lower than costs at Wake Forest University ($16,118 vs. $17,848)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Bucknell University than Wake Forest University (56% vs. 34%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 33.7% larger than aid received Bucknell University ($55,090 vs. $41,211)
Wake Forest vs. Bucknell Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Wake Forest or Bucknell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Bucknell or Wake Forest .
- Bucknell has a higher acceptance rate (32%) than Wake Forest (21.6%)
Wake Forest vs. Bucknell Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Wake Forest or Bucknell? 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 Bucknell and Wake Forest.
- The graduation rate at Bucknell is higher than Wake Forest University (91% vs. 88%)
- Graduates from Wake Forest University earn on average $900 more per year than Bucknell graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $76,300)
- Wake Forest University students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Bucknell graduates. ($23,000 vs. $27,000)
- Wake Forest graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than Bucknell graduates. ($237 vs. $279)
- More Bucknell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wake Forest students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 88%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/