WSSU vs. PennWest Clarion

Should I go to Winston Salem State University or PennWest Clarion? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WSSU or PennWest Clarion 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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Winston Salem State University vs. PennWest Clarion comparison
Winston Salem State University PennWest Clarion College 3 College 4
Winston Salem State University
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Overview

WSSU PennWest Clarion
Location Winston-Salem, NC Clarion, PA
Setting Midsize City Remote Town
Enrollment 5,004 3,922
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #956
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wssu.edu clarion.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WSSU PennWest Clarion
Tuition (In State) $3,401 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $14,057 $11,574
Room & Board $11,220 $12,930
Avg Net Price $14,097 -
Avg Grant Aid $8,350 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 0%

Admission

WSSU PennWest Clarion
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,628 -
Admitted 5,598 -
Acceptance Rate 73.4%
Enrolled % 15.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.01 3.5
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/19
SAT Range 830/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2025

Academics

WSSU PennWest Clarion
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

WSSU PennWest Clarion
Graduation Rate 41% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $39,200
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,663 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $265 $268

Diversity

WSSU PennWest Clarion
% Men 24% 28%
% Women 76% 72%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 16% 83%
% Black 72% 8%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

WSSU PennWest Clarion
% In-State 82% 94%
% Out-of-State 16% 5%

Campus

WSSU PennWest Clarion
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

  • Winston Salem State University is larger than than PennWest Clarion based on total student enrollment (5,004 students vs. 3,922 students)

WSSU vs. PennWest Clarion Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSSU or PennWest Clarion?

  • PennWest Clarion is 126.9% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.5% higher at WSSU than PennWest Clarion ($14,057.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Winston Salem State University are 15.2% lower than costs at PennWest Clarion ($11,220 vs. $12,930)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Winston Salem State University than PennWest Clarion (86% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Winston Salem State University students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest Clarion ($8,350 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at PennWest Clarion (934) is 64 points higher than at WSSU (870)
  • Incoming PennWest Clarion students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at WSSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman PennWest Clarion students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at WSSU (3.01)

WSSU vs. PennWest Clarion Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WSSU or PennWest Clarion? 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 PennWest Clarion and WSSU.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest Clarion is higher than Winston Salem State University (49% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from PennWest Clarion earn on average $3,500 more per year than WSSU graduates after ten years. ($39,200 vs. $35,700)
  • Winston Salem State University students graduate with a $337 lower median federal student loan debt than PennWest Clarion graduates. ($25,663 vs. $26,000)
  • WSSU graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than PennWest Clarion graduates. ($265 vs. $268)
  • More PennWest Clarion graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSSU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 33%)

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