TU vs. VCU

Should I go to Towson University or Virginia Commonwealth University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if TU 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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Towson University vs. Virginia Commonwealth University comparison
Towson University Virginia Commonwealth University College 3 College 4
Towson University Virginia Commonwealth University
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Overview

TU VCU
Location Towson, MD Richmond, VA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 19,793 28,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #445 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website towson.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

TU VCU
Tuition (In State) $7,238 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $23,240 $33,726
Room & Board $13,642 $12,279
Avg Net Price $14,443 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $11,415 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 83%

Admission

TU VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,770 18,242
Admitted 13,967 16,600
Acceptance Rate 78.6% 91%
Enrolled % 19.1% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 22/30
SAT Range 1010/1230 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 Apr 1, 2024 Jan 18, 2024

Academics

TU VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

TU VCU
Graduation Rate 64% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,750 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $183 $240

Diversity

TU VCU
% Men 39% 36%
% Women 61% 64%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 61% 50%
% Black 18% 18%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

TU VCU
% In-State 89% 92%
% Out-of-State 8% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than TU based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 19,793 students)

TU vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TU or VCU?

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 72.1% more expensive to attend than TU for in-state tuition ($12,458.00 vs. $7,238.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.1% higher at VCU than Towson University ($33,726.00 vs. $23,240.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than VCU ($14,443 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 11.1% lower than costs at Towson University ($12,279 vs. $13,642)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than Towson University (83% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 10.2% larger than aid received Towson University ($12,583 vs. $11,415)

TU vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 16 points higher than at TU (1081)
  • Incoming VCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at TU (23)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at TU (3.69)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than TU (78.6%)

TU vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, TU 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 TU.

  • The graduation rate at TU is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (64% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Towson University earn on average $6,000 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $47,500)
  • Towson University students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than VCU graduates. ($17,750 vs. $23,250)
  • TU graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than VCU graduates. ($183 vs. $240)
  • More TU 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/