PennWest California vs. Westminster College

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

PennWest California Westminster College
Location California, PA New Wilmington, PA
Setting Town Fringe Town Fringe
Enrollment 6,509 1,211
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1033 #489
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu westminster.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California Westminster College
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $38,000
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $38,000
Room & Board $10,416 $11,900
Avg Net Price - $22,645
Avg Grant Aid $0 $30,252
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 100%

Admission

PennWest California Westminster College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 2,225
Admitted - 1,675
Acceptance Rate 75.3%
Enrolled % 17.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 20/26
SAT Range 940/1150 1040/1258
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

PennWest California Westminster College
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%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (10%)

Outcomes

PennWest California Westminster College
Graduation Rate 53% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $45,700
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

PennWest California Westminster College
% Men 39% 44%
% Women 61% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 77%
% Black 12% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 15%

Students

PennWest California Westminster College
% In-State 86% 70%
% Out-of-State 13% 29%

Campus

PennWest California Westminster College
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 Westminster College based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 1,211 students)

PennWest California vs. Westminster College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or Westminster College?

  • Westminster College is 392.5% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($38,000.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 228.3% higher at Westminster College than PennWest California ($38,000.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 14.2% lower than costs at Westminster College ($10,416 vs. $11,900)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Westminster College than PennWest California (100% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Westminster College students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($30,252 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at Westminster College (1028) is 106 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming Westminster College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at PennWest California (20)
  • Accepted freshman Westminster College students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at PennWest California (3.31)

PennWest California vs. Westminster College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California or Westminster College? 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 Westminster College and PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at Westminster College is higher than PennWest California (74% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Westminster College earn on average $3,200 more per year than PennWest California graduates after ten years. ($45,700 vs. $42,500)
  • PennWest California students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Westminster College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • PennWest California graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Westminster College graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Westminster College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PennWest California students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 64%)

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