WCU vs. Roanoke College

Should I go to West Chester University of Pennsylvania or Roanoke College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WCU or Roanoke College 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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West Chester University of Pennsylvania vs. Roanoke College comparison
West Chester University of Pennsylvania Roanoke College College 3 College 4
West Chester University of Pennsylvania Roanoke College
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Overview

WCU Roanoke College
Location West Chester, PA Salem, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 17,275 1,826
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #496 #419
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcupa.edu roanoke.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WCU Roanoke College
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $33,510
Tuition (Out of State) $19,290 $33,510
Room & Board $14,228 $15,366
Avg Net Price $22,973 $29,169
Avg Grant Aid $5,443 $36,176
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 100%

Admission

WCU Roanoke College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,778 5,055
Admitted 12,982 4,032
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 79.8%
Enrolled % 23.2% 12.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.43 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/30 22/28
SAT Range 1080/1260 1070/1260
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

Academics

WCU Roanoke College
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • History (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

WCU Roanoke College
Graduation Rate 68% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $51,200
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $242 $279

Diversity

WCU Roanoke College
% Men 39% 46%
% Women 61% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 82%
% Black 11% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

WCU Roanoke College
% In-State 87% 58%
% Out-of-State 12% 40%

Campus

WCU Roanoke College
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

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Roanoke College based on total student enrollment (17,275 students vs. 1,826 students)

WCU vs. Roanoke College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or Roanoke College?

  • Roanoke College is 334.3% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($33,510.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 73.7% higher at Roanoke College than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($33,510.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than Roanoke College ($22,973 vs. $29,169)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are 8% lower than costs at Roanoke College ($14,228 vs. $15,366)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Roanoke College than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (100% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Roanoke College students is 564.6% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($36,176 vs. $5,443)

WCU vs. Roanoke College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Roanoke College (1092) is 20 points higher than at WCU (1072)
  • Incoming WCU students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at Roanoke College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Roanoke College students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at WCU (3.43)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Roanoke College (79.8%)

WCU vs. Roanoke College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WCU or Roanoke College? 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 Roanoke College and WCU.

  • The graduation rate at Roanoke College is higher than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (69% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Roanoke College earn on average $2,200 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($51,200 vs. $49,000)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Roanoke College graduates. ($23,500 vs. $27,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Roanoke College graduates. ($242 vs. $279)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Roanoke College students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 75%)

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