Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
JMU Mason Virginia Tech Mary Washington College Old Dominion CNU William & Mary UVA WVU UMBC Howard University of Richmond| Penn State Lehigh Valley | Virginia Commonwealth University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn State Lehigh Valley | VCU | ||
| Location | Center Valley, PA | Richmond, VA | ||
| Setting | Large Suburban | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 888 | 28,082 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #442 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | vcu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Lehigh Valley | VCU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $14,624 | $12,458 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $24,318 | $33,726 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,984 | $12,279 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $18,142 | $21,294 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,886 | $12,583 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 78% | 83% |
Admission |
Penn State Lehigh Valley | VCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 1,806 | 18,242 | ||
| Admitted | 1,699 | 16,600 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 94.1% | 91% | ||
| Enrolled % | 15.7% | 25.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.42 | 3.75 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/26 | 22/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1100/1290 | 1030/1290 | ||
| 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 | Jan 18, 2024 |
Academics |
Penn State Lehigh Valley | VCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 16:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
Penn State Lehigh Valley | VCU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 47% | 53% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $47,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 56% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $23,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $240 |
Diversity |
Penn State Lehigh Valley | VCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 57% | 36% | ||
| % Women | 43% | 64% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 64% | 50% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 18% | ||
| % Hispanic | 16% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 6% | ||
| % International | 0% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Penn State Lehigh Valley | VCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 93% | 92% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 6% | 6% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Lehigh Valley | VCU | ||
| Campus Housing | No | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | No | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than Penn State Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 888 students)
Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. VCU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Lehigh Valley or VCU?
- Penn State Lehigh Valley is 17.4% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($14,624.00 vs. $12,458.00)
- Out of state tuition is 38.7% higher at VCU than Penn State Lehigh Valley ($33,726.00 vs. $24,318.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Lehigh Valley than VCU ($18,142 vs. $21,294)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 5.7% lower than costs at Penn State Lehigh Valley ($12,279 vs. $12,984)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than Penn State Lehigh Valley (83% vs. 78%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 27.3% larger than aid received Penn State Lehigh Valley ($12,583 vs. $9,886)
Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Lehigh Valley or VCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VCU or Penn State Lehigh Valley .
- The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 78 points higher than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1019)
- Incoming VCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (23)
- Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (3.42)
- Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (94.1%) than VCU (91%)
Penn State Lehigh Valley vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Lehigh Valley or VCU? 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 VCU and Penn State Lehigh Valley.
- The graduation rate at VCU is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley (53% vs. 47%)
- Graduates from Penn State Lehigh Valley earn on average $7,800 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $47,500)
- Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $3,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,818)
- VCU graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates. ($240 vs. $277)
- More Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 56%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/