PennWest California vs. UVa-Wise

Should I go to PennWest California or The University of Virginia's College at Wise? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PennWest California or UVa-Wise 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. The University of Virginia's College at Wise comparison
PennWest California The University of Virginia's College at Wise College 3 College 4
PennWest California The University of Virginia's College at Wise
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Overview

PennWest California UVa-Wise
Location California, PA Wise, VA
Setting Town Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 6,509 1,704
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1033 #750
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu uvawise.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California UVa-Wise
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $6,040
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $25,419
Room & Board $10,416 $11,919
Avg Net Price - $9,923
Avg Grant Aid $0 $14,299
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 98%

Admission

PennWest California UVa-Wise
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 835
Admitted - 631
Acceptance Rate 75.6%
Enrolled % 39.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 19/25
SAT Range 940/1150 915/1160
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2024 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

PennWest California UVa-Wise
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%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

PennWest California UVa-Wise
Graduation Rate 53% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $42,100
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $20,827
Median Loan Payment $258 $215

Diversity

PennWest California UVa-Wise
% Men 39% 40%
% Women 61% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 78%
% Black 12% 12%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 7%

Students

PennWest California UVa-Wise
% In-State 86% 76%
% Out-of-State 13% 21%

Campus

PennWest California UVa-Wise
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than UVa-Wise based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 1,704 students)

PennWest California vs. UVa-Wise Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or UVa-Wise?

  • PennWest California is 27.7% more expensive to attend than UVa-Wise for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $6,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 119.6% higher at UVa-Wise than PennWest California ($25,419.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 14.4% lower than costs at The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($10,416 vs. $11,919)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than PennWest California (98% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Virginia's College at Wise students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($14,299 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Virginia's College at Wise (942) is 20 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming PennWest California students have at the same average ACT score (20) as students at UVa-Wise (20)
  • Accepted freshman UVa-Wise students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at PennWest California (3.31)

PennWest California vs. UVa-Wise Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California or UVa-Wise? 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 UVa-Wise and PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than The University of Virginia's College at Wise (53% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from PennWest California earn on average $400 more per year than UVa-Wise graduates after ten years. ($42,500 vs. $42,100)
  • The University of Virginia's College at Wise students graduate with a $4,173 lower median federal student loan debt than PennWest California graduates. ($20,827 vs. $25,000)
  • UVa-Wise graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than PennWest California graduates. ($215 vs. $258)
  • More PennWest California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UVa-Wise students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 57%)

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