PennWest California vs. AU

Should I go to PennWest California or Averett University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PennWest California or AU 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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PennWest California vs. Averett University comparison
PennWest California Averett University College 3 College 4
PennWest California Averett University
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Overview

 PennWest California AU
Location California, PA Danville, VA
Setting Town Fringe Small City
Enrollment 6,509 1,363
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1033 #661
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu averett.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 PennWest California AU
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $37,640
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $37,640
Room & Board $10,416 $11,360
Avg Net Price - $23,781
Avg Grant Aid $0 $26,246
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 100%

Admission

 PennWest California AU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 2,324
Admitted - 1,767
Acceptance Rate 76%
Enrolled % 14.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.07
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 16/22
SAT Range 940/1150 850/1170
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

 PennWest California AU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 PennWest California AU
Graduation Rate 53% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $48,400
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $258

Diversity

 PennWest California AU
% Men 39% 48%
% Women 61% 52%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 58%
% Black 12% 33%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 PennWest California AU
% In-State 86% 46%
% Out-of-State 13% 45%

Campus

 PennWest California AU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than AU based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 1,363 students)

PennWest California vs. AU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or AU?

  • Averett University is 387.8% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($37,640.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 225.2% higher at AU than PennWest California ($37,640.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 9.1% lower than costs at Averett University ($10,416 vs. $11,360)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Averett University than PennWest California (100% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Averett University students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($26,246 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at PennWest California (922) is 9 points higher than at AU (913)
  • Incoming PennWest California students have at the same average ACT score (20) as students at AU (20)
  • Accepted freshman PennWest California students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at AU (3.07)

PennWest California vs. AU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California or AU? 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 AU and PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest California is higher than Averett University (53% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Averett University earn on average $5,900 more per year than PennWest California graduates after ten years. ($48,400 vs. $42,500)
  • Averett University and PennWest California graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($25,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Averett University and PennWest California graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($258 vs. $258)
  • More PennWest California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 51%)

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