Eastern vs. WCU

Should I go to Eastern Kentucky University or West Chester University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Eastern 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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Eastern Kentucky University vs. West Chester University of Pennsylvania comparison
Eastern Kentucky University West Chester University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
Eastern Kentucky University West Chester University of Pennsylvania
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Overview

 Eastern WCU
Location Richmond, KY West Chester, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 14,324 17,275
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #854 #496
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eku.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Eastern WCU
Tuition (In State) $9,544 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $19,922 $19,290
Room & Board $10,360 $14,228
Avg Net Price $10,806 $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $10,583 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 64%

Admission

 Eastern WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,821 14,778
Admitted 10,174 12,982
Acceptance Rate 64.3% 87.8%
Enrolled % 26.9% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24 23/30
SAT Range 940/1185 1080/1260
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 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

 Eastern WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 Eastern WCU
Graduation Rate 38% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,695 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $245 $242

Diversity

 Eastern WCU
% Men 39% 39%
% Women 61% 61%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 85% 78%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 2% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 Eastern WCU
% In-State 91% 87%
% Out-of-State 9% 12%

Campus

 Eastern WCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Eastern based on total student enrollment (17,275 students vs. 14,324 students)

Eastern vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Eastern or WCU?

  • Eastern Kentucky University is 23.7% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($9,544.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.3% higher at Eastern than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($19,922.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than WCU ($10,806 vs. $22,973)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Kentucky University are 37.3% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($10,360 vs. $14,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Kentucky University than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (98% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Kentucky University students is 94.4% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($10,583 vs. $5,443)

Eastern vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 44 points higher than at Eastern (1028)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Eastern (22)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at Eastern (3.39)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Eastern (64.3%)

Eastern vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Eastern 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 Eastern.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Eastern Kentucky University (68% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $11,100 more per year than Eastern graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $37,900)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $195 lower median federal student loan debt than Eastern graduates. ($23,500 vs. $23,695)
  • WCU graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than Eastern graduates. ($242 vs. $245)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Eastern students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 49%)

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