Aurora University vs. VCM

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

Aurora University VCM
Location Aurora, IL Chicago, IL
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 5,918 263
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #851
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website aurora.edu vandercook.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Aurora University VCM
Tuition (In State) $27,200 $27,670
Tuition (Out of State) $27,200 $27,670
Room & Board $12,360 $7,500
Avg Net Price $19,350 $12,436
Avg Grant Aid $19,830 $27,884
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Aurora University VCM
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,922 22
Admitted 2,393 22
Acceptance Rate 81.9% 100%
Enrolled % 28.1% 50%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.1
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 15/20
SAT Range 980/1198 890/1160
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

Aurora University VCM
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 4:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Education (100%)

Outcomes

Aurora University VCM
Graduation Rate 44% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,900 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,337 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $230 $279

Diversity

Aurora University VCM
% Men 29% 43%
% Women 71% 57%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 56% 62%
% Black 8% 8%
% Hispanic 25% 21%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

Aurora University VCM
% In-State 84% 58%
% Out-of-State 15% 42%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Aurora University is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (5,918 students vs. 263 students)

Aurora University vs. VCM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Aurora University or VCM?

  • VanderCook College of Music is 1.7% more expensive to attend than Aurora University for in-state tuition ($27,670.00 vs. $27,200.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.7% higher at VCM than Aurora University ($27,670.00 vs. $27,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than Aurora University ($12,436 vs. $19,350)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 64.8% lower than costs at Aurora University ($7,500 vs. $12,360)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Aurora University as VanderCook College of Music (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 40.6% larger than aid received Aurora University ($27,884 vs. $19,830)

Aurora University vs. VCM Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 117 points higher than at Aurora University (990)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Aurora University (21)
  • Accepted freshman Aurora University students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than Aurora University (81.9%)

Aurora University vs. VCM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Aurora University or VCM? 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 VCM and Aurora University.

  • The graduation rate at VCM is higher than Aurora University (45% vs. 44%)
  • Aurora University students graduate with a $4,663 lower median federal student loan debt than VCM graduates. ($22,337 vs. $27,000)
  • Aurora University graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than VCM graduates. ($230 vs. $279)
  • More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Aurora University students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 63%)

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