Wilkes University is a private university in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. You already know that, or you can look it up in two minutes. What I am going to share with you here is different: what the United States federal government, through the IPEDS system, has documented about it. Size, admissions, cost, financial aid, graduation. Numbers the university reported under a legal obligation, not in a marketing brochure.
I am not going to tell you whether Wilkes is “good” or “bad.” That is not what data do, and it is not my job either. My job is to help you read them correctly, so that when the time comes to decide, you make the decision, with real information, rather than with an impression someone casually sold you.
Who Wilkes University Is
The Carnegie system, which classifies United States universities by what they do, places Wilkes among doctoral and professional universities. Using data from 2019-20, it describes Wilkes as a medium-sized, highly residential four-year institution: at that time, at least half of its degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in housing owned, controlled, or affiliated with the institution, and at least 80 out of every 100 attended full time.
That “highly residential” label matters because it changes the conversation at home. Living on campus is not the same as paying tuition: room and board are charged separately, and we will look at how much shortly.
Carnegie also classifies it, using data from 2021, among institutions that receive many transfer students. If your child is considering coming here after studying at another school, this is a sign that it is worth asking early: request in writing which courses will count and which will not. The label does not say how many credits students bring with them or how many are lost in the transition.
Wilkes is in Luzerne County, within the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. That does not mean the campus is right in the heart of a large city; the census code places it within an urban area, but you need to ask the school directly about the actual transportation situation—how to get there and how long it takes. If your child is thinking about living at home and commuting to class, I recommend something simple: drive the route on a weekday, at the exact time your child would have class. The actual travel time is almost never what the map says.
Institutionally, Wilkes is a private, nonprofit university offering programs of four years or more, and the highest level it reports offering is the doctorate. That is a fact about the institution as a whole, not a promise that your child’s specific program extends to that level. If the undergraduate-to-graduate path in your child’s area of interest matters, confirm it program by program.
And here is a clarification worth making upfront: Wilkes is not registered as a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. These are three different designations with different histories, and of the 3,012 universities in this census, 138 have at least one of the three. Wilkes not being on that list says nothing about which communities it serves today or how your child will feel there. Ask about that directly: what cultural centers exist, what student organizations there are, and better yet, talk with someone who already studies there.
Its Actual Size and Who Shares the Campus
In the most recent official count, Wilkes had 5,198 enrolled students. It is neither a small school nor a huge one; it falls within the range of 5,000 to 9,999. Compared with the 941 selective-admission, private four-year schools in this census that report the figure, it is on the larger side: between one and three out of every ten schools in that group have more students.
But here is the figure that really changes how you read the total: of those 5,198 students, 1,956 are undergraduates and 3,242 are graduate students. At Wilkes, graduate enrollment is larger than undergraduate enrollment. If your child is entering a bachelor’s degree program, the number that matters is not the total of 5,198. It is 1,956.
As for who shares that undergraduate campus: 11 out of every 100 students are Hispanic or Latino. It is a small minority. Compared with the 941 selective private schools in this census, Wilkes ranks above the midpoint of the group without reaching the highest quartile—so it is not a dramatic outlier in either direction, but that still does not answer the question of how your child will feel there. That comparison does not account for the part of the country where the school is located, and in this case that matters. I will tell you directly: if this matters to your family, ask during the visit what specifically exists for Latino students—a student group, a cultural center, someone in the office who speaks Spanish.
The campus is nearly evenly split between men and women: 53 out of every 100 are women. Adults ages 25 to 64 are few, at 7 out of every 100. And 75 out of every 100 first-time students reported a Pennsylvania address when applying. Above all, it is a school for students from within the state.
How the Academic Year Works and How Broad the Offerings Are
Wilkes organizes the year into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. It is the standard calendar, with consistent dates for everyone.
Here is an especially valuable fact if your child already has high school credits: Wilkes reported accepting credit for AP exams and also what IPEDS calls “credit for life experiences”—independent study, work experience, portfolios, prior licenses, military training, and other avenues. It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Now for the part I cannot sugarcoat: saying that they accept AP does not mean they award credit for every exam or that the credit will count toward your child’s specific bachelor’s degree program. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
As for what students study there: in the most recent year reported, Wilkes awarded 487 bachelor’s degrees across 20 program families. The largest family was health professions, with 29 out of every 100 degrees—but no other family surpassed it, and that family does not account for the entire total either. The offerings are distributed rather than centered on a single dominant vocation. Even so, 20 active families are not 20 specific programs: one family groups multiple programs together. Verify the exact program that interests your child.
The student-to-faculty ratio is 13 students per full-time-equivalent faculty member. On the general scale, that is considered low. But compared with similar schools, it is above the median—that is, half or more of those schools reported an equal or lower ratio. Both things are true at the same time, which is why I am giving them to you together: it is low in absolute terms and above the average for its peers. What this figure does not tell you is the actual size of a classroom; IPEDS does not report it that way.
The Academic Opportunities the Institution Reports
Wilkes reports offering study abroad, a complete program that can be taken only during evenings or weekends, developmental education for credit, preparation for teacher certification below the postsecondary level, and state approval for initial teacher-certification programs. These are real parts of the institutional catalog. If any of them matters to your child, ask for it by name and request specific details about access, availability, and cost.
Getting into Wilkes: What They Ask For and How Likely a Yes Is
This is where many families become nervous unnecessarily. Let’s take it slowly.
Wilkes does not have open admissions: it reviews certain components before saying yes. Of the considerations IPEDS asks about, it marked three as required: the high school record, the high school GPA, and your child’s class rank. Other components are not required but are considered if submitted: completion of the university’s recommended high school curriculum, letters of recommendation, and work experience. What IPEDS does not say is how much weight each component carries in the final decision. Before submitting the application, call admissions and ask directly about your child’s situation. What they tell you this year matters more than this report from 2023.
The undergraduate application fee is $40.
And now the number that probably interests you most: in the 2023 cycle, Wilkes received 6,414 first-time applications and offered admission to 5,866 applicants. That is 91 out of every 100. It is among the universities that do admit applicants. Compared with 942 selective private schools in this census, it is on the high side: seven out of ten of those schools admit an equal or lower percentage.
Being accessible at admission does not make the rest of the journey easy. That 91% applies to the entire school and a single cycle. It does not say how much attending will cost, how many students finish, or whether your child’s specific program has its own internal screening process. Those are separate questions, and we will look at the financial side in a moment.
Here is a fact that surprises many people: out of every 100 admitted students, only 9 enrolled. One out of every eleven admitted students ultimately attends. Do not read that as a mark against the school—the federal record does not say why each person made the choice they did, and it probably has something to do with many admitted students already having offers from other schools. What I can tell you very clearly is this: what other people decided does not predict your offer. Wait for your letter with the net price—what the year would actually cost you—before deciding whether this school stays on your list.
Regarding standardized tests: the SAT and ACT are not required at Wilkes. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application remains under consideration just the same. Among those who enrolled and submitted SAT scores (27 out of every 100), the middle half scored between 510 and 640 in reading and writing and between 513 and 630 in math. Those numbers apply only to students who submitted scores, not to all applicants, and they are neither a minimum nor a guarantee.
One last figure in this section, about transfers: among the bachelor’s-degree-seeking cohort that entered in 2017, 27 out of every 100 transferred to another institution without completing at Wilkes. That is a considerable share, and the report does not give the reason for any of them. It is worth keeping in mind because a student who transfers does not count as a Wilkes graduate in the statistics, even if that student finishes elsewhere. Remember this figure when we reach the graduation rate.
The Sticker Price and What Families Actually Pay
At Wilkes University, among 89 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $23,760. Among 59 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $26,339; among 124 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $31,745. For dependent students, the bracket combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income bracket (89 students) and the average for the highest-income bracket (124 students) is $7,985. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $28,508.
Among the 937 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, Wilkes falls within the most expensive quartile for the lowest-income families. That does not mean you should rule it out. It means you need to request the financial aid letter before deciding.
An average does not show how different the individual cases were within that bracket; this figure does not support saying that some families were far below or above the published amount. The income brackets in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships.
The Aid That Actually Arrives and the Debt You Need to Plan For
Out of every 100 degree-seeking students at Wilkes, 89 received a grant or scholarship that does not have to be repaid. Among recipients, the average was $26,600 per year. That is real money—but it is not a price. That average includes students who received much more and students who received much less. When your child’s letter arrives, look for the number that really matters: what your family would have to pay out of pocket.
The Pell Grant—federal aid for families with demonstrated financial need—reached 31 out of every 100 students.
Regarding loans: 70 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan in the 2022-23 academic year. That is the majority. Among borrowers, the average amount was $6,533 that year. Compared with similar schools, Wilkes is on the high side in the share of students with loans.
Here is the full calculation, because nobody is going to do it for you: if your child borrowed a similar amount in each of the four years in the program, the total would be around $26,132, not including interest. That decision is made before the first signature, not at the end. The fact that borrowing is common here does not determine whether your child will need it—that depends on the specific financial aid letter and what your family can cover. If the offer includes debt, request the estimated monthly payment before accepting anything.
An important clarification: this average loan amount covers only one year and only federal loans in the student’s name. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes end up signing for, debt from private banks, or credit cards. Nor is it the total debt with which someone graduates—for that, the four years would have to be added together, and that figure is not in this report.
Regarding payment options: Wilkes reports offering an installment tuition payment plan.
Campus Life, Learning Format, and Support
Wilkes has institution-owned housing, with a reported capacity of 1,135 students on or off campus. Not all first-time students are required to live there—but that does not mean no program has such a requirement, so confirm the exact rule for your child’s year and program. It also offers meal plans with a fixed number of meals per week in its largest plan. The existence of the option does not guarantee an available bed or an included rate: request this year’s rate and the application deadline in writing.
Regarding ROTC: the only branch confirmed in writing is the Air Force. Army and Navy are not marked. Not confirmed does not mean impossible—it means you need to ask directly if your child is interested in another branch.
Wilkes competes in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NCAA. This institutional fact does not identify which specific sports are active today, the division in which each competes, or whether it offers athletic scholarships. If athletics is part of the plan, contact the coach for that sport directly and request a written response.
It offers distance education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, although in practice it is the exception: only 2 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all their courses at a distance; the other 98 took at least one in-person class. It also reports at least one complete program that can be taken at a distance—confirm the exact level and program if this interests your child.
The library has employed staff, physical and digital collections, and interlibrary lending—its annual spending exceeds the threshold tracked by the government. Ask directly about its hours and specific support for your child’s program.
Finally, the institution reports these services: combined academic and career counseling, employment services for current students, placement services upon program completion, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program, a point of contact for veterans and military service members, a student veterans’ organization, and a webpage with services for people with disabilities.
How Many Stay and How Many Graduate
This is the section I ask you to read most calmly, because the numbers may sound contradictory if you do not separate them carefully.
Retention. Of the full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking cohort that entered in the fall of 2022, 73 out of every 100 were still enrolled at Wilkes or had already graduated one year later. Compared with 930 similar schools, Wilkes ranks slightly below the midpoint of the group. Remember: not returning is not the same as dropping out. In this figure, a student who transferred to another university and is still studying there counts the same as someone who left school altogether. The source does not separate those two paths.
Graduation within four and six years. Following the cohort that entered in 2017, by the six-year mark, 60 out of every 100 had earned a degree from Wilkes. Within the four-year period, the figure falls to 49 out of every 100—a difference of eleven points. Compared with 920 similar schools, Wilkes ranks below the midpoint of the group.
Here is the full breakdown of that same cohort of 580 students, because it helps explain where people go: 350 completed a bachelor’s degree at Wilkes within the period; 159 transferred without completing at Wilkes (remember that admissions figure? It is the same story viewed from another angle); 4 remained enrolled without completing; and 67 fell into the “no longer enrolled” category, which does not provide a reason and may include students who graduated after the measured time limit.
At eight years. Expanding both the time window and the definition—this count includes first-time students as well as those who arrived with prior college experience, attending full time or part time—62 out of every 100 students in the 2015-16 cohort had earned a degree or certificate from Wilkes by the August 2023 reporting date. Among Pell Grant recipients, the figure was 56 out of every 100—ten points below the figure for nonrecipients. Compared with similar schools, Wilkes ranks below the midpoint of the group on this measure as well.
I am not going to sugarcoat this: on all three measures in this section—retention, four- and six-year graduation, and the eight-year outcome—Wilkes ranks below the median of its comparable schools. That is a real fact, and it is worth keeping in mind. What I cannot tell you is why: the report does not explain individual reasons, and a significant share of those who “did not graduate here” simply went elsewhere to finish their degrees. If your child enrolls at Wilkes, this is exactly the kind of question worth asking the school directly: what advising, follow-up, and support are available to help your child stay and finish there.
What Comes Next After Reading This
You now know, in considerable depth, one of the three pieces you need to make a decision: what Wilkes University is and what its own official numbers show. You know its actual undergraduate size, how likely admission is, what the sticker price is and what families similar to yours end up paying, and what its retention and graduation figures say.
This article cannot tell you what your child wants to study, how far from home your child is willing to live, or how much your family can or is willing to pay. You know those things, not a federal report.
Your child’s job is to research the specific program of interest, visit if possible, and write those emails to admissions, the coach, and the library that I mentioned throughout the article. Your job is the money, the FAFSA, the financial aid letter, and the deadlines. Neither of you does the other’s work.
When the admission letter arrives, with its net price figure in black and white, you will be able to combine this piece with the other two: what your child wants and has built, and what your family can afford. The plan will come from that combination, not from any of the three pieces alone.
Source: This information comes from the United States Department of Education’s IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System), with data corresponding primarily to the 2023 cycle and to cohorts from earlier entering classes as applicable to each indicator. Best College Aid does not represent Wilkes University or any agency of the United States government; this article organizes and explains public data to help you understand them.