VCM vs. UIU

Should I go to VanderCook College of Music or Upper Iowa University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if VCM or UIU 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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VanderCook College of Music vs. Upper Iowa University comparison
VanderCook College of Music Upper Iowa University College 3 College 4
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Overview

 VCM UIU
Location Chicago, IL Fayette, IA
Setting Large City Remote Rural
Enrollment 263 3,072
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #737
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vandercook.edu uiu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 VCM UIU
Tuition (In State) $27,670 $32,589
Tuition (Out of State) $27,670 $32,589
Room & Board $7,500 $9,644
Avg Net Price $12,436 $24,563
Avg Grant Aid $27,884 $25,788
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 VCM UIU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22 1,405
Admitted 22 762
Acceptance Rate 100% 54.2%
Enrolled % 50% 28.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.34
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/20 18/24
SAT Range 890/1160 890/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2024

Academics

 VCM UIU
Student to Faculty Ratio 4:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (100%)
  • Business (40%)
  • Human Services (17%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (5%)

Outcomes

 VCM UIU
Graduation Rate 45% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $42,100
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $248

Diversity

 VCM UIU
% Men 43% 41%
% Women 57% 59%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 66%
% Black 8% 19%
% Hispanic 21% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 VCM UIU
% In-State 58% 49%
% Out-of-State 42% 48%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Upper Iowa University is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (3,072 students vs. 263 students)

VCM vs. UIU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VCM or UIU?

  • Upper Iowa University is 17.8% more expensive to attend than VCM for in-state tuition ($32,589.00 vs. $27,670.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.8% higher at UIU than VanderCook College of Music ($32,589.00 vs. $27,670.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than UIU ($12,436 vs. $24,563)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 28.6% lower than costs at Upper Iowa University ($7,500 vs. $9,644)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music as Upper Iowa University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 8.1% larger than aid received Upper Iowa University ($27,884 vs. $25,788)

VCM vs. UIU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 177 points higher than at UIU (930)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UIU (20)
  • Accepted freshman UIU students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.34) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than UIU (54.2%)

VCM vs. UIU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, VCM or UIU? 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 UIU and VCM.

  • The graduation rate at VCM is the same as at Upper Iowa University (45% vs. 45%)
  • Upper Iowa University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than VCM graduates. ($24,000 vs. $27,000)
  • UIU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than VCM graduates. ($248 vs. $279)
  • More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 50%)

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