Wilkes University
Wilkes University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Wilkes University Featured Rankings
About Wilkes University
According to Wikipedia, Wilkes University is a private university in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It has over 2,200 undergraduates and over 2,200 graduate students . Wilkes was founded in 1933 as a satellite campus of Bucknell University, and became an independent institution in 1947, naming itself Wilkes College, after English radical politician John Wilkes after whom Wilkes-Barre is named. The school was granted university status in January 1990. It is classified among "Doctoral/Professional Universities" and accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Wilkes University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6,414 | 91% | 72% | 59% | 1135 | 25 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Wilkes University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $44,742 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $24,537 |
| 30K - 48K | $30,852 |
| 48K - 75K | $30,358 |
| 75K - 110K | $30,851 |
| 110K+ | $32,383 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Wilkes University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Wilkes University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $75,038 a year, and 96% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Wilkes University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 7,059 | 2,225 | 4,834 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Wilkes University?
Wilkes University is located at 84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766.
How Safe is Wilkes University?
Wilkes University reported 0.9 violent and property offenses on campus per 1,000 students in 2024, fewer than most midsize residential campuses. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Wilkes University has a violent crime rate of 0.06% and a property crime rate of 0.04%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft).
What Is Wilkes University Known For?
Wilkes University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Chemistry
- Literature
- Engineering
- Psychology
- Communications
- Biology
- Political Science
- Mathematics
- Earth Sciences
- Nursing
- Physics
- Sociology
- Philosophy
- Business
- Computer Science
- History
- Medical
- Education
Wilkes University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Wilkes University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Wilkes University ranks #455 in the U.S. and #2240 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesWilkes University ranks #462 in the U.S. and #1394 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesWilkes University ranks #626 in the U.S. and #3606 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesWilkes University ranks #701 in the U.S. and #1827 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesWilkes University ranks #708 in the U.S. and #2642 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesWilkes University ranks #729 in the U.S. and #3169 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesWilkes University ranks #746 in the U.S. and #3237 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesWilkes University ranks #786 in the U.S. and #3134 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesWilkes University ranks #863 in the U.S. and #3255 worldwide for influence in Earth Sciences.
earth-science DegreesWilkes University ranks #934 in the U.S. and #2382 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesWilkes University ranks #936 in the U.S. and #3888 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesWilkes University ranks #981 in the U.S. and #3262 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesWilkes University ranks #997 in the U.S. and #3310 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesWilkes University ranks #1033 in the U.S. and #3845 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesWilkes University ranks #1060 in the U.S. and #4636 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesWilkes University ranks #1177 in the U.S. and #3765 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesWilkes University ranks #1337 in the U.S. and #4578 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesWilkes University ranks #1427 in the U.S. and #5751 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesWho Are Wilkes University's Most Influential Alumni?
Wilkes University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Literature, Psychology, and Chemistry. Here are some of Wilkes University's most famous alumni:
- Catherine D. DeAngelis
- An American physician.
- Donora Hillard
- An American educator, author.
- James E. Mark
- An American engineer.
- Jesse Choper
- An An American constitutional law scholar and a former dean.
- Ann Bartuska
- An American biologist and ecologist.
- Catherine Chandler
- An American writer.
- Daniel Klem
- A United States ornithologist, known for his pioneering research into the mortality of birds due to glass windows.
- Steve Poleskie
- An American artist.
- Lawrence Hilton Jacobs
- An American actor.
