Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre, PA · Private · Small city · Wilkes

Private institution in Wilkes-Barre, PA · 1,893 undergraduates · 91% acceptance rate · $63,454 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Top 19%Median earnings, 6 years after entry
Top 21%Median earnings, 10 years after entry

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Cost

Average net price: $27,7001,631st cheapest of 1,985 reporting
In-state tuition & fees: $42,2861,703rd cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees: $42,2861,683rd cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Cost of attendance: $56,9561,651st cheapest of 1,985 reporting
Median graduate debt: $26,0001,445th lowest of 1,880 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry: $63,454420th highest of 1,969 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry: $54,128378th highest of 1,964 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year): 60.3%768th highest of 2,031 reporting
Full-time retention: 73.5%1,055th highest of 1,853 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate: 91.5%1,291st most selective of 1,608 reporting
Average SAT: 1134573rd highest of 1,024 reporting
Median ACT: 24421st highest of 954 reporting

Campus

Undergraduates: 1,893971st largest of 2,162 reporting
Student-faculty ratio: 13.0:1993rd smallest of 2,159 reporting
Pell Grant share: 29.8%1,215th highest of 2,140 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 97 mi (EWR)

On 1 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

Most Selective Colleges in Pennsylvania#71

Applying

EANov 29
Rollingopen

Common App member: Yes
Application fee: Free
Personal essay: Optional / not required
Writing supplement: No

Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 41 reported programs.

Field	Level	1 yr	2 yr
Engineering, GeneralEngineering	bachelors	$64,196	$53,984
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions	bachelors	$63,817	$65,035
Mechanical EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$62,463	$53,219
Environmental/Environmental Health EngineeringEngineering	bachelors	$54,053	$52,941
Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$47,260	$44,776
MarketingBusiness	bachelors	$41,937	$40,017
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness	bachelors	$39,909	$50,856
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsEducation	bachelors	$37,856	—
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness	bachelors	$37,568	$39,585
English Language and Literature, GeneralEnglish Language & Literature	bachelors	$33,993	$20,140
Communication and Media StudiesCommunications	bachelors	$31,314	$28,960
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, OtherCommunications	bachelors	$30,409	$32,391

Campus facts

Founded in 1933source
Competes in NCAA Division IIIsource
School colors: Blue and Goldsource
Athletic nickname: "Colonels"source
Mascot: Colonelsource
Motto: ""Unity Amidst Diversity""source
Formerly known as "Bucknell University Junior College" (1933–1947)source
Formerly known as "Wilkes College" (1947–1989)source
Athletic conference: Landmark Conferencesource
Plays for the "Wilkes-Barre Mayor's Cup"source
Notable alum: Marlon Jamessource

Athletics — 14 sports

NCAA Division III with football · NCAA Division III

Athletic scholarships not allowed · Athletic aid $0 (M $0 · W $0)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport. Athletic scholarships are not allowed by association rule; non-athletic merit or need-based aid may still be available.