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 3,142 28,238
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #471 #469
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website arcadia.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Arcadia VCU
Tuition (In State) $47,590 $12,850
Tuition (Out of State) $47,590 $34,744
Room & Board $16,250 $16,119
Avg Net Price $26,994 $22,852
Avg Grant Aid $34,234 $12,433
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Arcadia VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,688 19,052
Admitted 5,296 17,729
Acceptance Rate 79.2% 93.1%
Enrolled % 7.9% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/30 22/30
SAT Range 1083/1310 1030/1270
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, 2025

Academics

Arcadia VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
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 11% 8%
% Women 28% 17%
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 66% 92%
% Out-of-State 32% 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 (28,238 students vs. 3,142 students)

Arcadia vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Arcadia or VCU?

  • Arcadia University is 270.4% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($47,590.00 vs. $12,850.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37% higher at Arcadia than Virginia Commonwealth University ($47,590.00 vs. $34,744.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Commonwealth University than Arcadia ($22,852 vs. $26,994)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 0.8% lower than costs at Arcadia University ($16,119 vs. $16,250)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Arcadia University than Virginia Commonwealth University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Arcadia University students is 175.3% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($34,234 vs. $12,433)

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 (93.1%) than Arcadia (79.2%)

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/