Cal State Long Beach vs. WCU

Should I go to California State University Long Beach or West Chester University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cal State Long Beach or WCU 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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California State University Long Beach vs. West Chester University of Pennsylvania comparison
California State University Long Beach West Chester University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
California State University Long Beach West Chester University of Pennsylvania
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Overview

 Cal State Long Beach WCU
Location Long Beach, CA West Chester, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 38,973 17,275
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #507 #496
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csulb.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cal State Long Beach WCU
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $19,290
Room & Board $14,932 $14,228
Avg Net Price $9,346 $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $9,478 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 64%

Admission

 Cal State Long Beach WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 74,718 14,778
Admitted 29,851 12,982
Acceptance Rate 40% 87.8%
Enrolled % 18% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.43
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 23/30
SAT Range 1020/1240 1080/1260
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023

Academics

 Cal State Long Beach WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 Cal State Long Beach WCU
Graduation Rate 54% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,100 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $155 $242

Diversity

 Cal State Long Beach WCU
% Men 41% 39%
% Women 59% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 19% 78%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 39% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

 Cal State Long Beach WCU
% In-State 97% 87%
% Out-of-State 2% 12%

Campus

 Cal State Long Beach WCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Long Beach is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (38,973 students vs. 17,275 students)

Cal State Long Beach vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State Long Beach or WCU?

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is 34.4% more expensive to attend than Cal State Long Beach for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.5% higher at WCU than California State University Long Beach ($19,290.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Long Beach than WCU ($9,346 vs. $22,973)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are 4.9% lower than costs at California State University Long Beach ($14,228 vs. $14,932)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Long Beach than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (75% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Long Beach students is 74.1% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($9,478 vs. $5,443)

Cal State Long Beach vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State Long Beach or WCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WCU or Cal State Long Beach .

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 16 points higher than at Cal State Long Beach (1056)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Cal State Long Beach (23)
  • Accepted freshman Cal State Long Beach students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at WCU (3.43)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Cal State Long Beach (40%)

Cal State Long Beach vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cal State Long Beach or WCU? 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 WCU and Cal State Long Beach.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than California State University Long Beach (68% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from California State University Long Beach earn on average $2,100 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($51,100 vs. $49,000)
  • California State University Long Beach students graduate with a $8,500 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $23,500)
  • Cal State Long Beach graduates are paying $87 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($155 vs. $242)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State Long Beach students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 69%)

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