KU vs. VCU

Should I go to University of Kansas or Virginia Commonwealth University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if KU 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.
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University of Kansas vs. Virginia Commonwealth University comparison
University of Kansas Virginia Commonwealth University College 3 College 4
University of Kansas Virginia Commonwealth University
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Overview

 KU VCU
Location Lawrence, KS Richmond, VA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 28,406 28,238
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #291 #469
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ku.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 KU VCU
Tuition (In State) $10,596 $12,850
Tuition (Out of State) $28,308 $34,744
Room & Board $10,818 $16,119
Avg Net Price $18,322 $22,852
Avg Grant Aid $10,644 $12,433
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 99%

Admission

 KU VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,226 19,052
Admitted 16,958 17,729
Acceptance Rate 88.2% 93.1%
Enrolled % 31% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 22/30
SAT Range 1050/1290 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 15, 2025 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

 KU VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 KU VCU
Graduation Rate 61% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,600 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $211 $240

Diversity

 KU VCU
% Men 11% 8%
% Women 16% 17%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 72% 50%
% Black 4% 18%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 KU VCU
% In-State 55% 92%
% Out-of-State 43% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Kansas is larger than than VCU based on total student enrollment (28,406 students vs. 28,238 students)

KU vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KU or VCU?

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 21.3% more expensive to attend than KU for in-state tuition ($12,850.00 vs. $10,596.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.7% higher at VCU than University of Kansas ($34,744.00 vs. $28,308.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kansas than VCU ($18,322 vs. $22,852)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Kansas are 49% lower than costs at Virginia Commonwealth University ($10,818 vs. $16,119)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than University of Kansas (99% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 16.8% larger than aid received University of Kansas ($12,433 vs. $10,644)

KU vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kansas (1145) is 48 points higher than at VCU (1097)
  • Incoming KU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at VCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at KU (3.66)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (93.1%) than KU (88.2%)

KU vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, KU 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 KU.

  • The graduation rate at KU is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (61% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from University of Kansas earn on average $7,100 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($54,600 vs. $47,500)
  • University of Kansas students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than VCU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,250)
  • KU graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than VCU graduates. ($211 vs. $240)
  • More KU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 56%)

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