Worcester State University vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre

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

Worcester State University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Location Worcester, MA Lehman, PA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 5,311 368
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #475
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website worcester.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Worcester State University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Tuition (In State) $970 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $23,086
Room & Board $13,245 $12,984
Avg Net Price $14,435 $16,728
Avg Grant Aid $5,881 $10,598
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

Worcester State University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,718 653
Admitted 4,136 622
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 95.3%
Enrolled % 19.3% 20.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/29
SAT Range 1015/1220 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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

Worcester State University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (28%)
  • Engineering Technology (19%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)

Outcomes

Worcester State University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Graduation Rate 47% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,200 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $206 $277

Diversity

Worcester State University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% Men 36% 64%
% Women 64% 36%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 88%
% Black 8% 3%
% Hispanic 9% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Worcester State University Penn State Wilkes-Barre
% In-State 93% 83%
% Out-of-State 5% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Worcester State University is larger than than Penn State Wilkes-Barre based on total student enrollment (5,311 students vs. 368 students)

Worcester State University vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Worcester State University or Penn State Wilkes-Barre?

  • Penn State Wilkes Barre is 1,325.2% more expensive to attend than Worcester State University for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 227.5% higher at Penn State Wilkes-Barre than Worcester State University ($23,086.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Worcester State University than Penn State Wilkes-Barre ($14,435 vs. $16,728)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Wilkes Barre are 2% lower than costs at Worcester State University ($12,984 vs. $13,245)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Worcester State University than Penn State Wilkes Barre (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Wilkes Barre students is 80.2% larger than aid received Worcester State University ($10,598 vs. $5,881)

Worcester State University vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Worcester State University 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 Worcester State University .

  • The average SAT score at Worcester State University (1020) is 38 points higher than at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (982)
  • Incoming Worcester State University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State Wilkes-Barre (22)
  • Penn State Wilkes-Barre has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than Worcester State University (87.7%)

Worcester State University vs. Penn State Wilkes-Barre Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Worcester State University 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 Worcester State University.

  • The graduation rate at Worcester State University is the same as at Penn State Wilkes Barre (47% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Wilkes Barre earn on average $6,100 more per year than Worcester State University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $49,200)
  • Worcester State University students graduate with a $6,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates. ($20,000 vs. $26,818)
  • Worcester State University graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates. ($206 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Wilkes-Barre graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Worcester State University students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 66%)

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