Wilkes vs. BC

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

 Wilkes BC
Location Wilkes-Barre, PA Bridgewater, VA
Setting Small City Small Suburban
Enrollment 5,207 1,421
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #478 #676
Religious Affiliation - Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wilkes.edu bridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Wilkes BC
Tuition (In State) $39,134 $38,800
Tuition (Out of State) $39,134 $38,800
Room & Board $15,850 $13,830
Avg Net Price $27,918 $19,332
Avg Grant Aid $29,441 $34,142
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 100%

Admission

 Wilkes BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,798 3,402
Admitted 4,517 3,074
Acceptance Rate 94.1% 90.4%
Enrolled % 10.6% 13.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/26 22/28
SAT Range 1060/1260 1020/1230
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

 Wilkes BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Wilkes BC
Graduation Rate 58% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,200 $43,100
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

 Wilkes BC
% Men 31% 48%
% Women 69% 52%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 73%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 9% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

 Wilkes BC
% In-State 75% 73%
% Out-of-State 24% 24%

Campus

 Wilkes BC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Wilkes University is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (5,207 students vs. 1,421 students)

Wilkes vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wilkes or BC?

  • Wilkes University is 0.9% more expensive to attend than BC for in-state tuition ($39,134.00 vs. $38,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.9% higher at Wilkes than Bridgewater College ($39,134.00 vs. $38,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater College than Wilkes ($19,332 vs. $27,918)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bridgewater College are 14.6% lower than costs at Wilkes University ($13,830 vs. $15,850)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater College than Wilkes University (100% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 16% larger than aid received Wilkes University ($34,142 vs. $29,441)

Wilkes vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wilkes University (1053) is 19 points higher than at BC (1034)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Wilkes (3.56)
  • Wilkes has a higher acceptance rate (94.1%) than BC (90.4%)

Wilkes vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wilkes or BC? 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 BC and Wilkes.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than Wilkes University (59% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Wilkes University earn on average $15,100 more per year than BC graduates after ten years. ($58,200 vs. $43,100)
  • Wilkes University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Wilkes graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Wilkes students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 75%)

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