PennWest California vs. Central Washington University

Should I go to PennWest California or Central Washington University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PennWest California or Central Washington University 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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PennWest California vs. Central Washington University comparison
PennWest California Central Washington University College 3 College 4
PennWest California Central Washington University
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Overview

PennWest California Central Washington University
Location California, PA Ellensburg, WA
Setting Town Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 6,509 9,257
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1033 #610
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu cwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California Central Washington University
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $6,816
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $23,881
Room & Board $10,416 $13,645
Avg Net Price - $15,864
Avg Grant Aid $0 $9,294
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 73%

Admission

PennWest California Central Washington University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 6,409
Admitted - 5,992
Acceptance Rate 93.5%
Enrolled % 23.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.08
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 17/24
SAT Range 940/1150 930/1150
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2024 Mar 1, 2024

Academics

PennWest California Central Washington University
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Business (29%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (4%)

Outcomes

PennWest California Central Washington University
Graduation Rate 53% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $47,800
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $20,737
Median Loan Payment $258 $214

Diversity

PennWest California Central Washington University
% Men 39% 47%
% Women 61% 53%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 59%
% Black 12% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 14%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 9%

Students

PennWest California Central Washington University
% In-State 86% 95%
% Out-of-State 13% 5%

Campus

PennWest California Central Washington University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Central Washington University is larger than than PennWest California based on total student enrollment (9,257 students vs. 6,509 students)

PennWest California vs. Central Washington University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or Central Washington University?

  • PennWest California is 13.2% more expensive to attend than Central Washington University for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $6,816.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 106.3% higher at Central Washington University than PennWest California ($23,881.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 31% lower than costs at Central Washington University ($10,416 vs. $13,645)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Central Washington University than PennWest California (73% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Central Washington University students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($9,294 vs. $0)

Which college is harder to get into, PennWest California or Central Washington University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Central Washington University or PennWest California .

  • The average SAT score at Central Washington University (978) is 56 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming Central Washington University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at PennWest California (20)
  • Accepted freshman PennWest California students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at Central Washington University (3.08)

PennWest California vs. Central Washington University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California or Central Washington University? 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 Central Washington University and PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at Central Washington University is higher than PennWest California (56% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Central Washington University earn on average $5,300 more per year than PennWest California graduates after ten years. ($47,800 vs. $42,500)
  • Central Washington University students graduate with a $4,263 lower median federal student loan debt than PennWest California graduates. ($20,737 vs. $25,000)
  • Central Washington University graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than PennWest California graduates. ($214 vs. $258)
  • More PennWest California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Central Washington University students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 60%)

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