TU vs. Arcadia

Should I go to Towson University or Arcadia University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if TU or Arcadia 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. 

UMBC Maryland Salisbury WCU Frostburg State University WVU Stevenson University Howard Bowie State University Goucher College URI UB
Towson University vs. Arcadia University comparison
Towson University Arcadia University College 3 College 4
Towson University Arcadia University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 TU Arcadia
Location Towson, MD Glenside, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 19,793 3,026
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #445 #502
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website towson.edu arcadia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 TU Arcadia
Tuition (In State) $7,238 $46,430
Tuition (Out of State) $23,240 $46,430
Room & Board $13,642 $13,720
Avg Net Price $14,443 $29,692
Avg Grant Aid $11,415 $30,934
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 99%

Admission

 TU Arcadia
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,770 6,321
Admitted 13,967 4,903
Acceptance Rate 78.6% 77.6%
Enrolled % 19.1% 10%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.42
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 24/29
SAT Range 1010/1230 1088/1320
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 Apr 1, 2024

Academics

 TU Arcadia
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 TU Arcadia
Graduation Rate 64% 62%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $46,400
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,750 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $183 $279

Diversity

 TU Arcadia
% Men 39% 32%
% Women 61% 68%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 61% 68%
% Black 18% 9%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 TU Arcadia
% In-State 89% 62%
% Out-of-State 8% 37%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Towson University is larger than than Arcadia based on total student enrollment (19,793 students vs. 3,026 students)

TU vs. Arcadia Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TU or Arcadia?

  • Arcadia University is 541.5% more expensive to attend than TU for in-state tuition ($46,430.00 vs. $7,238.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 99.8% higher at Arcadia than Towson University ($46,430.00 vs. $23,240.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than Arcadia ($14,443 vs. $29,692)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Towson University are 0.6% lower than costs at Arcadia University ($13,642 vs. $13,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Arcadia University than Towson University (99% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Arcadia University students is 171% larger than aid received Towson University ($30,934 vs. $11,415)

TU vs. Arcadia Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Arcadia University (1104) is 23 points higher than at TU (1081)
  • Incoming Arcadia students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at TU (23)
  • Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Arcadia (3.42)
  • TU has a higher acceptance rate (78.6%) than Arcadia (77.6%)

TU vs. Arcadia Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, TU or Arcadia? 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 Arcadia and TU.

  • The graduation rate at TU is higher than Arcadia University (64% vs. 62%)
  • Graduates from Towson University earn on average $7,100 more per year than Arcadia graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $46,400)
  • Towson University students graduate with a $9,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Arcadia graduates. ($17,750 vs. $27,000)
  • TU graduates are paying $96 less per month on federal student loans than Arcadia graduates. ($183 vs. $279)
  • More TU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Arcadia students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 69%)

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