The Catholic University of America vs. WPI

Deciding between The Catholic University of America and Worcester Polytechnic Institute? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

The Catholic University of America
Worcester Polytechnic Institute

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • The Catholic University of America Washington, DC
  • WPI Worcester, MA
  • Setting
  • The Catholic University of America Large City
  • WPI Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • The Catholic University of America 5,243
  • WPI 7,584
  • Type
  • The Catholic University of America Private 4 Year
  • WPI Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • The Catholic University of America
  • WPI
  • Religious Affiliation
  • The Catholic University of America Roman Catholic
  • WPI -
  • Status
  • The Catholic University of America Non-profit
  • WPI Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • The Catholic University of America
  • WPI

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • The Catholic University of America $58,378
  • WPI $60,965
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • The Catholic University of America $58,378
  • WPI $60,965
  • Room & Board
  • The Catholic University of America $18,200
  • WPI $18,386
  • Average Net Price
  • The Catholic University of America $32,705
  • WPI $47,372
  • Average Grant Aid
  • The Catholic University of America $42,657
  • WPI $31,545
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • The Catholic University of America 99%
  • WPI 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • The Catholic University of America 6,714
  • WPI 12,559
  • Admitted
  • The Catholic University of America 5,558
  • WPI 7,555
  • Acceptance Rate
  • The Catholic University of America 82.8%
  • WPI 60.2%
  • Enrolled
  • The Catholic University of America 13.4%
  • WPI 18.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • The Catholic University of America
  • WPI
  • Typical ACT score
  • The Catholic University of America
  • WPI
  • Average High School GPA
  • The Catholic University of America 3.52
  • WPI 3.9
  • Typical High School Grades
  • The Catholic University of America A-
  • WPI A
  • Admissions Standards
  • The Catholic University of America Unavailable
  • WPI Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • The Catholic University of America
  • WPI Low
  • ACT Range
  • The Catholic University of America
  • WPI
  • SAT Range
  • The Catholic University of America
  • WPI
  • Submit Test Scores
  • The Catholic University of America Test-free
  • WPI Test-free
  • Application Deadline
  • The Catholic University of America Jan 15, 2027
  • WPI Feb 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • The Catholic University of America 11:1
  • WPI 13:1
  • Popular Majors
  • The Catholic University of America
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Architecture (11%)
    • Business (11%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
    • Engineering (7%)
  • WPI
    • Engineering (61%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (9%)
    • General Studies (5%)
    • Business (4%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • The Catholic University of America 68%
  • WPI 76%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • The Catholic University of America $58,600
  • WPI $82,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • The Catholic University of America 77%
  • WPI 92%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • The Catholic University of America $26,106
  • WPI $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • The Catholic University of America $269
  • WPI $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • The Catholic University of America 48%
  • WPI 68%
  • % Women
  • The Catholic University of America 52%
  • WPI 32%
  • Racial Diversity
  • The Catholic University of America Medium
  • WPI Medium
  • HBCU
  • The Catholic University of America No
  • WPI No
  • % White
  • The Catholic University of America 64%
  • WPI 63%
  • % Asian
  • The Catholic University of America 3%
  • WPI 5%
  • % Black
  • The Catholic University of America 5%
  • WPI 2%
  • % Hispanic
  • The Catholic University of America 13%
  • WPI 8%
  • % Native American
  • The Catholic University of America 0%
  • WPI 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • The Catholic University of America 0%
  • WPI 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • The Catholic University of America 5%
  • WPI 3%
  • % International
  • The Catholic University of America 5%
  • WPI 12%
  • % Unknown Race
  • The Catholic University of America 4%
  • WPI 6%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • The Catholic University of America 8%
  • WPI 48%
  • % Out-of-State
  • The Catholic University of America 84%
  • WPI 48%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • The Catholic University of America Yes
  • WPI Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • The Catholic University of America No
  • WPI No
  • Meal Plan
  • The Catholic University of America Yes
  • WPI Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • The Catholic University of America No
  • WPI No
  • Daycare Facility
  • The Catholic University of America No
  • WPI No

Comparable Facts

Compare The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC with Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute is larger than The Catholic University of America based on total student enrollment (7,584 students vs. 5,243 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • The Catholic University of America is located in Washington, DC (Large City setting); Worcester Polytechnic Institute is in Worcester, MA (Midsize City setting).
  • The Catholic University of America is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: The Catholic University of America 11:1; Worcester Polytechnic Institute 13:1.

The Catholic University of America vs. WPI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, The Catholic University of America or WPI? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The Catholic University of America than WPI ($32,705 vs. $47,372).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The Catholic University of America are 1% lower than at Worcester Polytechnic Institute ($18,200 vs. $18,386).
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute is 4.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than The Catholic University of America (about $2,587 more per year; $60,965.00 vs. $58,378.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 4.4% higher at WPI than at The Catholic University of America (about $2,587 more per year; $60,965.00 vs. $58,378.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Worcester Polytechnic Institute than at The Catholic University of America (100% vs. 99%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The Catholic University of America students is 35.2% larger than aid received by Worcester Polytechnic Institute students ($42,657 vs. $31,545).

The Catholic University of America vs. WPI Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, The Catholic University of America or WPI? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between WPI and The Catholic University of America.

  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: The Catholic University of America - Test-free; WPI - Test-free.
  • Typical fall application deadline: The Catholic University of America Jan 15, 2027; WPI Feb 15, 2027.
  • Enrolled freshman WPI students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.9) than students at The Catholic University of America (3.52).
  • The Catholic University of America has a higher acceptance rate (82.8%) than WPI (60.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 13.4% at The Catholic University of America vs. 18.1% at WPI.

The Catholic University of America vs. WPI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for The Catholic University of America and WPI? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute's six-year graduation rate (76%) is higher than The Catholic University of America's (68%).
  • Graduates from Worcester Polytechnic Institute earn a median of about $24,100 more per year than The Catholic University of America graduates about ten years after starting college ($82,700 vs. $58,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, The Catholic University of America graduates have a $894 lower median loan debt than WPI graduates ($26,106 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, The Catholic University of America graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than WPI graduates ($269 vs. $279).
  • More WPI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former The Catholic University of America students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 77%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.