WMU vs. WCU

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

 WMU WCU
Location Kalamazoo, MI West Chester, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 17,000 17,275
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #634 #496
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wmich.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WMU WCU
Tuition (In State) $14,523 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $18,154 $19,290
Room & Board $11,102 $14,228
Avg Net Price $20,030 $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $6,813 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 64%

Admission

 WMU WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,501 14,778
Admitted 17,334 12,982
Acceptance Rate 84.6% 87.8%
Enrolled % 15.1% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 23/30
SAT Range 990/1220 1080/1260
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

 WMU WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 WMU WCU
Graduation Rate 56% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,633 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $275 $242

Diversity

 WMU WCU
% Men 47% 39%
% Women 53% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 78%
% Black 12% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 WMU WCU
% In-State 79% 87%
% Out-of-State 19% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than WMU based on total student enrollment (17,275 students vs. 17,000 students)

WMU vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WMU or WCU?

  • Western Michigan University is 88.2% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($14,523.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.3% higher at WCU than Western Michigan University ($19,290.00 vs. $18,154.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Michigan University than WCU ($20,030 vs. $22,973)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Michigan University are 28.2% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($11,102 vs. $14,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Michigan University than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (93% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Michigan University students is 25.2% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($6,813 vs. $5,443)

WMU vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 42 points higher than at WMU (1030)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WMU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at WCU (3.43)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than WMU (84.6%)

WMU vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WMU or WCU? 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 WCU and WMU.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Western Michigan University (68% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $100 more per year than WMU graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $48,900)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $3,133 lower median federal student loan debt than WMU graduates. ($23,500 vs. $26,633)
  • WCU graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than WMU graduates. ($242 vs. $275)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WMU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 54%)

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