BC vs. VCU

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

BC VCU
Location Bridgewater, VA Richmond, VA
Setting Small Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 1,421 28,082
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #676 #442
Religious Affiliation Church of Brethren - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bridgewater.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BC VCU
Tuition (In State) $38,800 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $38,800 $33,726
Room & Board $13,830 $12,279
Avg Net Price $19,332 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $34,142 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

BC VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,402 18,242
Admitted 3,074 16,600
Acceptance Rate 90.4% 91%
Enrolled % 13.7% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 22/30
SAT Range 1020/1230 1030/1290
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 May 1, 2025 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

BC VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

BC VCU
Graduation Rate 59% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,100 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $279 $240

Diversity

BC VCU
% Men 48% 36%
% Women 52% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 73% 50%
% Black 11% 18%
% Hispanic 5% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

BC VCU
% In-State 73% 92%
% Out-of-State 24% 6%

Campus

BC 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 BC based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 1,421 students)

BC vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or VCU?

  • Bridgewater College is 211.4% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($38,800.00 vs. $12,458.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15% higher at BC than Virginia Commonwealth University ($38,800.00 vs. $33,726.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bridgewater College than VCU ($19,332 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 12.6% lower than costs at Bridgewater College ($12,279 vs. $13,830)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater College than Virginia Commonwealth University (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 171.3% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($34,142 vs. $12,583)

BC vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 63 points higher than at BC (1034)
  • Incoming BC students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at VCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at BC (3.61)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than BC (90.4%)

BC vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BC 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 BC.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (59% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn on average $4,400 more per year than BC graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $43,100)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
  • VCU graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($240 vs. $279)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 56%)

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