WCU vs. VCU

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

WCU VCU
Location West Chester, PA Richmond, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 17,076 28,238
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #532 #469
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcupa.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WCU VCU
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $12,850
Tuition (Out of State) $19,290 $34,744
Room & Board $12,474 $16,119
Avg Net Price $21,684 $22,852
Avg Grant Aid $5,503 $12,433
% Receiving Grant Aid 70% 99%

Admission

WCU VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,467 19,052
Admitted 13,042 17,729
Acceptance Rate 79.2% 93.1%
Enrolled % 23.7% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.43 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/28 22/30
SAT Range 1100/1270 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 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

WCU VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

WCU VCU
Graduation Rate 68% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $242 $240

Diversity

WCU VCU
% Men 5% 8%
% Women 11% 17%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 78% 50%
% Black 11% 18%
% Hispanic 5% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

WCU VCU
% In-State 87% 92%
% Out-of-State 13% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (28,238 students vs. 17,076 students)

WCU vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or VCU?

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 66.5% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($12,850.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 80.1% higher at VCU than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($34,744.00 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 VCU ($21,684 vs. $22,852)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are 29.2% lower than costs at Virginia Commonwealth University ($12,474 vs. $16,119)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (99% vs. 70%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 125.9% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($12,433 vs. $5,503)

WCU vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 25 points higher than at WCU (1072)
  • Incoming WCU students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at VCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at WCU (3.43)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (93.1%) than WCU (79.2%)

WCU vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WCU 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 WCU.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (68% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $1,500 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $47,500)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $250 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($23,250 vs. $23,500)
  • VCU graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($240 vs. $242)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 56%)

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