Arcadia vs. VCU

Should I go to Arcadia University or Virginia Commonwealth University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Arcadia or VCU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Arcadia University vs. Virginia Commonwealth University comparison
Arcadia University Virginia Commonwealth University College 3 College 4
Arcadia University Virginia Commonwealth University
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Overview

Arcadia VCU
Location Glenside, PA Richmond, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 3,026 28,082
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #502 #442
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arcadia.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Arcadia VCU
Tuition (In State) $46,430 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $46,430 $33,726
Room & Board $13,720 $12,279
Avg Net Price $29,692 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $30,934 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 83%

Admission

Arcadia VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,321 18,242
Admitted 4,903 16,600
Acceptance Rate 77.6% 91%
Enrolled % 10% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/29 22/30
SAT Range 1088/1320 1030/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 18, 2024

Academics

Arcadia VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

Arcadia VCU
Graduation Rate 62% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $279 $240

Diversity

Arcadia VCU
% Men 32% 36%
% Women 68% 64%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 68% 50%
% Black 9% 18%
% Hispanic 8% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Arcadia VCU
% In-State 62% 92%
% Out-of-State 37% 6%

Campus

Arcadia VCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than Arcadia based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 3,026 students)

Arcadia vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Arcadia or VCU?

  • Arcadia University is 272.7% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($46,430.00 vs. $12,458.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.7% higher at Arcadia than Virginia Commonwealth University ($46,430.00 vs. $33,726.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Commonwealth University than Arcadia ($21,294 vs. $29,692)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 11.7% lower than costs at Arcadia University ($12,279 vs. $13,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Arcadia University than Virginia Commonwealth University (99% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Arcadia University students is 145.8% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($30,934 vs. $12,583)

Arcadia vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Arcadia or VCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VCU or Arcadia .

  • The average SAT score at Arcadia University (1104) is 7 points higher than at VCU (1097)
  • Incoming Arcadia students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at VCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Arcadia (3.42)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than Arcadia (77.6%)

Arcadia vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Arcadia or VCU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between VCU and Arcadia.

  • The graduation rate at Arcadia is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (62% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn on average $1,100 more per year than Arcadia graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $46,400)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Arcadia graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
  • VCU graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Arcadia graduates. ($240 vs. $279)
  • More Arcadia graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 56%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/