# Wilkes University

Private nonprofit college in Wilkes-Barre, PA. IPEDS ID 216931.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/wilkes-university · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/wilkes-university.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 91% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $27,743 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 63%; beats 56% of PA colleges and 66% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $63,454; beats 73% of PA colleges and 78% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $20,500

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $25,062 |
| 30-48k | $23,440 |
| 48-75k | $26,432 |
| 75-110k | $27,843 |
| 110k+ | $31,638 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.22 years on average (49% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $63,454 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $25,062 | $105,762 | 3.8 years |
| 30-48k | $23,440 | $98,917 | 3.6 years |
| 48-75k | $26,432 | $111,543 | 4.0 years |
| 75-110k | $27,843 | $117,497 | 4.2 years |
| 110k+ | $31,638 | $133,512 | 4.8 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $56,765
- Tuition and fees: $43,496
- Housing and meals: $16,006; books: $400

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: 530–630; SAT math: 490–620; ACT: 22–29 (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 6,414 applicants, 5,866 admitted, 513 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 91%, ACT 22–29 (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 92%, ACT 20–29 (IPEDS Admissions)

## Majors (42 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $77,226 | $92,034 | $28,813 |
| Engineering | $74,654 | $86,308 | $26,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $63,062 | $79,326 | $27,000 |
| Accounting | $53,818 | $75,468 | $26,000 |
| Finance | $41,758 | $72,961 | $25,091 |
| Marketing | $42,038 | $71,501 | $26,000 |
| Environmental Engineering | $60,098 | $70,039 | $27,000 |
| Sociology | $36,814 | $58,006 | $26,000 |
| Biology | $38,513 | $57,332 | $26,931 |
| Business Administration | $40,508 | $57,020 | $26,584 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $45,853 | $52,234 | $27,000 |
| Psychology | $29,007 | $48,033 | $26,000 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Communications | $36,271 | not reported | $27,000 |
| Broadcasting / Digital Media | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $83,041 | not reported | not reported |
| Information Science / Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education | $45,273 | not reported | $27,000 |
| Special Education | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Electrical Engineering | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Engineering-Related Fields | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| English | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Biochemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Neuroscience | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Philosophy | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Physical Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Chemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Geology / Earth Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Physics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Criminology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| International Relations | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Political Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theatre | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Medical Laboratory Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Entrepreneurship | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Hospitality Management | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| History | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Nursing → Registered nurse: median wage $82,650 (Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA), $96,430 (PA), $97,550 (U.S.)
- Mechanical Engineering → Mechanical engineer: median wage $83,920 (Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA), $97,920 (PA), $104,110 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).