UMBC vs. VCU

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

 UMBC VCU
Location Baltimore, MD Richmond, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 14,148 28,238
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #263 #469
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMBC VCU
Tuition (In State) $9,238 $12,850
Tuition (Out of State) $26,594 $34,744
Room & Board $14,204 $16,119
Avg Net Price $17,704 $22,852
Avg Grant Aid $9,956 $12,433
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 99%

Admission

 UMBC VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,150 19,052
Admitted 9,762 17,729
Acceptance Rate 74.2% 93.1%
Enrolled % 20.3% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/30 22/30
SAT Range 1220/1410 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 Feb 1, 2025 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

 UMBC VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 UMBC VCU
Graduation Rate 57% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $219 $240

Diversity

 UMBC VCU
% Men 14% 8%
% Women 12% 17%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 50%
% Black 17% 18%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 UMBC VCU
% In-State 85% 92%
% Out-of-State 6% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than UMBC based on total student enrollment (28,238 students vs. 14,148 students)

UMBC vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or VCU?

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 39.1% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($12,850.00 vs. $9,238.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.6% higher at VCU than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($34,744.00 vs. $26,594.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than VCU ($17,704 vs. $22,852)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 13.5% lower than costs at Virginia Commonwealth University ($14,204 vs. $16,119)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than University of Maryland Baltimore County (99% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 24.9% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($12,433 vs. $9,956)

UMBC vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Maryland Baltimore County (1209) is 112 points higher than at VCU (1097)
  • Incoming UMBC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at VCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at VCU (3.75)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (93.1%) than UMBC (74.2%)

UMBC vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC 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 UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at UMBC is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (57% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from University of Maryland Baltimore County earn on average $12,000 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $47,500)
  • University of Maryland Baltimore County students graduate with a $2,053 lower median federal student loan debt than VCU graduates. ($21,197 vs. $23,250)
  • UMBC graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than VCU graduates. ($219 vs. $240)
  • More UMBC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 56%)

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