BSU vs. WCU

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

 BSU WCU
Location Muncie, IN West Chester, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 19,777 17,275
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #496
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU WCU
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $19,290
Room & Board $10,904 $14,228
Avg Net Price $12,615 $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 64%

Admission

 BSU WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 14,778
Admitted 15,761 12,982
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 87.8%
Enrolled % 22.1% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 23/30
SAT Range 1090/1260 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

 BSU WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 BSU WCU
Graduation Rate 55% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $242

Diversity

 BSU WCU
% Men 35% 39%
% Women 65% 61%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 78%
% Black 8% 11%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 BSU WCU
% In-State 90% 87%
% Out-of-State 9% 12%

Campus

 BSU 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

  • Ball State University is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (19,777 students vs. 17,275 students)

BSU vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or WCU?

  • Ball State University is 9.3% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($8,434.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34.4% higher at BSU than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($25,918.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than WCU ($12,615 vs. $22,973)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 30.5% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($10,904 vs. $14,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ball State University than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (97% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ball State University students is 109.8% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($11,418 vs. $5,443)

BSU vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 2 points higher than at BSU (1070)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BSU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at WCU (3.43)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BSU 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 BSU.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Ball State University (68% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $6,500 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $42,500)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($23,500 vs. $25,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($242 vs. $258)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BSU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 63%)

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