PennWest California vs. WCU

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

PennWest California WCU
Location California, PA West Chester, PA
Setting Town Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,509 17,275
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1033 #496
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California WCU
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $19,290
Room & Board $10,416 $14,228
Avg Net Price - $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $0 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 64%

Admission

PennWest California WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 14,778
Admitted - 12,982
Acceptance Rate 87.8%
Enrolled % 23.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 23/30
SAT Range 940/1150 1080/1260
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

PennWest California WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

PennWest California WCU
Graduation Rate 53% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $242

Diversity

PennWest California WCU
% Men 39% 39%
% Women 61% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 78%
% Black 12% 11%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

PennWest California WCU
% In-State 86% 87%
% Out-of-State 13% 12%

Campus

PennWest California WCU
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

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than PennWest California based on total student enrollment (17,275 students vs. 6,509 students)

PennWest California vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or WCU?

  • PennWest California and WCU cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66.7% higher at WCU than PennWest California ($19,290.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 36.6% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($10,416 vs. $14,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than PennWest California (64% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by West Chester University of Pennsylvania students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($5,443 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 150 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at PennWest California (20)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at PennWest California (3.31)

PennWest California vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California 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 PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than PennWest California (68% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $6,500 more per year than PennWest California 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 PennWest California graduates. ($23,500 vs. $25,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than PennWest California graduates. ($242 vs. $258)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PennWest California students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 64%)

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