UVa-Wise vs. VCU

Should I go to The University of Virginia's College at Wise or Virginia Commonwealth University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UVa-Wise or VCU 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.

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
The University of Virginia's College at Wise vs. Virginia Commonwealth University comparison
The University of Virginia's College at Wise Virginia Commonwealth University College 3 College 4
The University of Virginia's College at Wise Virginia Commonwealth University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UVa-Wise VCU
Location Wise, VA Richmond, VA
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,911 28,238
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #765 #469
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uvawise.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UVa-Wise VCU
Tuition (In State) $6,040 $12,850
Tuition (Out of State) $26,182 $34,744
Room & Board $12,535 $16,119
Avg Net Price $10,409 $22,852
Avg Grant Aid $13,702 $12,433
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

UVa-Wise VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,414 19,052
Admitted 1,328 17,729
Acceptance Rate 93.9% 93.1%
Enrolled % 21.8% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 22/30
SAT Range 935/1175 1030/1270
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, 2025 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

UVa-Wise VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

UVa-Wise VCU
Graduation Rate 39% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,100 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,827 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $215 $240

Diversity

UVa-Wise VCU
% Men 14% 8%
% Women 22% 17%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 78% 50%
% Black 12% 18%
% Hispanic 2% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 6%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

UVa-Wise VCU
% In-State 74% 92%
% Out-of-State 25% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than UVa-Wise based on total student enrollment (28,238 students vs. 1,911 students)

UVa-Wise vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UVa-Wise or VCU?

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 112.7% more expensive to attend than UVa-Wise for in-state tuition ($12,850.00 vs. $6,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.7% higher at VCU than The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($34,744.00 vs. $26,182.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than VCU ($10,409 vs. $22,852)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Virginia's College at Wise are 28.6% lower than costs at Virginia Commonwealth University ($12,535 vs. $16,119)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than Virginia Commonwealth University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Virginia's College at Wise students is 10.2% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($13,702 vs. $12,433)

UVa-Wise vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 155 points higher than at UVa-Wise (942)
  • Incoming VCU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UVa-Wise (20)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at UVa-Wise (3.57)
  • UVa-Wise has a higher acceptance rate (93.9%) than VCU (93.1%)

UVa-Wise vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UVa-Wise 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 UVa-Wise.

  • The graduation rate at VCU is higher than The University of Virginia's College at Wise (53% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn on average $5,400 more per year than UVa-Wise graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $42,100)
  • The University of Virginia's College at Wise students graduate with a $2,423 lower median federal student loan debt than VCU graduates. ($20,827 vs. $23,250)
  • UVa-Wise graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than VCU graduates. ($215 vs. $240)
  • More UVa-Wise graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 56%)

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