Wilkes University
Wilkes-Barre, PA · Private nonprofit · offers Graduate degrees
91%Acceptance rate
$27,743Average net price / year
63%Graduation rate
$63,454Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$26,000Median debt at graduation
1,985Undergraduates
Cost
- In-state tuition & fees
- $43,496
- Total cost of attendance
- $56,765
- Room & board
- $16,166
- Books & supplies
- $400
- Average net price
- $27,743
Net price by family income
- $0–30k
- $25,062
- $30–48k
- $23,440
- $48–75k
- $26,432
- $75–110k
- $27,843
- $110k+
- $31,638
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 90.6%
- Average SAT
- 1136
- SAT reading (25–75%)
- 530–630
- SAT math (25–75%)
- 490–620
- ACT composite (25–75%)
- 22–29
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 63%
- First-year retention
- 72%
- Median earnings (6 yrs)
- $54,128
- Median earnings (10 yrs)
- $63,454
- Median debt (graduates)
- $26,000
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0.0%
- Students with Pell grants
- 34%
- Students with federal loans
- 72%
Programs: what graduates earn
27 of 71 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).
Bachelor's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 5 | $83,041 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 138 | $77,226 | $24,990 |
| Engineering, General | — | $74,654 | $25,662 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 31 | $63,062 | $27,000 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 12 | $60,098 | $27,000 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 9 | $53,818 | $25,500 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 15 | $45,853 | $26,000 |
| Education, General | — | $45,273 | $27,000 |
| Marketing | 10 | $42,038 | $25,625 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 13 | $41,758 | $25,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 45 | $40,508 | $26,000 |
| Biology, General | 16 | $38,513 | $27,000 |
| Sociology | 7 | $36,814 | $26,000 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 11 | $36,271 | $26,885 |
| Psychology, General | 30 | $29,007 | $26,000 |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | — | $36,237 | — |
Master's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 229 | $118,515 | $41,390 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 47 | $85,253 | — |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 20 | $62,713 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 46 | $61,435 | $39,600 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 29 | $61,012 | — |
| Education, General | — | $60,471 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 191 | $59,372 | $16,045 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 38 | $33,352 | $36,000 |
Doctoral degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 4 | $150,107 | $37,070 |
First professional degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | 66 | $98,089 | $66,000 |
Graduate certificate
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | — | $105,844 | $38,188 |
Students
- Undergraduates
- 1,985
- Graduate students
- 4,868
- Part-time
- 5%
- Women / men
- 52% / 48%
- White
- 66%
- Hispanic
- 12%
- Black
- 6%
- Asian
- 3%
- International
- 8%
Faculty & school
- Student–faculty ratio
- 13:1
- Avg faculty salary
- $88,632 / year
- Full-time faculty
- 39%
- Accreditor
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education
- Website
- www.wilkes.edu
- Also known as
- Wilkes
Most popular fields
- Communication & Journalism – 6% of degrees
- Education – 8% of degrees
- Engineering – 10% of degrees
- English – 2% of degrees
- Liberal Arts & General Studies – 9% of degrees
- Biological Sciences – 4% of degrees
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at Wilkes University?
90.6% of applicants were admitted, and admitted students averaged 1136 on the SAT.
How much does Wilkes University cost?
The average net price after grants is $27,743 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $43,496 and the full cost of attendance is $56,765.
How much do Wilkes University graduates earn?
Students who enrolled earn a median of $63,454 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.
What is the graduation rate?
63% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Other colleges in Wilkes-Barre
| College | Net price | Acceptance | Graduation | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King's College Wilkes-Barre, PA · Private nonprofit · 1,484 students |
$23,093 | 93% | 60% | $59,498 |
| Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center Practical Nursing Wilkes Barre, PA · Public · 85 students |
$19,937 | 79% | 52% | $48,705 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.