Wilkes vs. URI

Should I go to Wilkes University or University of Rhode Island? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wilkes or URI 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. University of Rhode Island comparison
Wilkes University University of Rhode Island College 3 College 4
Wilkes University University of Rhode Island
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Overview

Wilkes URI
Location Wilkes-Barre, PA Kingston, RI
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 5,198 17,351
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #416 #353
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wilkes.edu uri.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wilkes URI
Tuition (In State) $40,308 $14,116
Tuition (Out of State) $40,308 $33,512
Room & Board $16,006 $14,900
Avg Net Price $28,508 $20,964
Avg Grant Aid $28,507 $12,803
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Wilkes URI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,414 25,391
Admitted 5,866 19,568
Acceptance Rate 91.5% 77.1%
Enrolled % 8.7% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/29 26/31
SAT Range 1023/1270 1030/1270
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 1, 2025

Academics

Wilkes URI
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

Wilkes URI
Graduation Rate 58% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,200 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $23,438
Median Loan Payment $268 $242

Diversity

Wilkes URI
% Men 13% 6%
% Women 49% 10%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 71%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 9% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 7%

Students

Wilkes URI
% In-State 75% 39%
% Out-of-State 20% 60%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Rhode Island is larger than than Wilkes based on total student enrollment (17,351 students vs. 5,198 students)

Wilkes vs. URI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wilkes or URI?

  • Wilkes University is 185.5% more expensive to attend than URI for in-state tuition ($40,308.00 vs. $14,116.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.3% higher at Wilkes than University of Rhode Island ($40,308.00 vs. $33,512.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Rhode Island than Wilkes ($20,964 vs. $28,508)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Rhode Island are 7.4% lower than costs at Wilkes University ($14,900 vs. $16,006)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wilkes University than University of Rhode Island (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wilkes University students is 122.7% larger than aid received University of Rhode Island ($28,507 vs. $12,803)

Wilkes vs. URI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Rhode Island (1077) is 24 points higher than at Wilkes (1053)
  • Accepted freshman URI students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at Wilkes (3.56)
  • Wilkes has a higher acceptance rate (91.5%) than URI (77.1%)

Wilkes vs. URI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at URI is higher than Wilkes University (63% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Wilkes University earn on average $2,000 more per year than URI graduates after ten years. ($58,200 vs. $56,200)
  • University of Rhode Island students graduate with a $2,562 lower median federal student loan debt than Wilkes graduates. ($23,438 vs. $26,000)
  • URI graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Wilkes graduates. ($242 vs. $268)
  • More Wilkes graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former URI students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 69%)

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