Head-to-head comparison
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre vs Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences: which has better ROI?
Option A Dallas, PA
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre
- Net price / year
- $16,448
- Earnings, 10 years
- $63,435
- Payback
- 4.4 yrs
Option B Reading, PA
Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences
- Net price / year
- $28,415
- Earnings, 10 years
- $74,572
- Payback
- 4.3 yrs
Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $113,660 in 4.3 years versus 4.4 years at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre, on median earnings of $74,572 vs $63,435 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre | Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $16,448 | $28,415 |
| Total net cost | $65,792 | $113,660 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $63,435 | $74,572 |
| Median debt | $25,000 | $20,885 |
| Payback | 4.4 yrs | 4.3 yrs |
| 20-year net return | $235,708 | $410,580 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre or Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences?
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre, at $16,448 a year after aid versus $28,415 — a gap of $11,967 a year, or $47,868 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre or Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences graduates earn more?
Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences graduates report a median $74,572 ten years after entry, $11,137 more than the $63,435 at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre or Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences?
Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences: its completers carry a median $20,885 in federal loans versus $25,000 at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre, a difference of $4,115. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
33% of students finish at Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences, against 23% at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Wilkes-Barre. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.