PennWest California vs. Wheeling Jesuit University

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

PennWest California Wheeling Jesuit University
Location California, PA Wheeling, WV
Setting Town Fringe Small City
Enrollment 6,509 749
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1033
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website calu.edu wju.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest California Wheeling Jesuit University
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $28,090
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $28,090
Room & Board $10,416 $11,620
Avg Net Price - $19,998
Avg Grant Aid $0 $21,746
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 99%

Admission

PennWest California Wheeling Jesuit University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 1,576
Admitted - 1,145
Acceptance Rate 72.7%
Enrolled % 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 17/23
SAT Range 940/1150 950/1180
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 22, 2025

Academics

PennWest California Wheeling Jesuit University
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Health Professions (33%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (5%)
  • Biology (5%)

Outcomes

PennWest California Wheeling Jesuit University
Graduation Rate 53% 62%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $48,100
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $279

Diversity

PennWest California Wheeling Jesuit University
% Men 39% 58%
% Women 61% 42%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 75%
% Black 12% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 6%

Students

PennWest California Wheeling Jesuit University
% In-State 86% 12%
% Out-of-State 13% 68%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest California is larger than than Wheeling Jesuit University based on total student enrollment (6,509 students vs. 749 students)

PennWest California vs. Wheeling Jesuit University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest California or Wheeling Jesuit University?

  • Wheeling Jesuit University is 264% more expensive to attend than PennWest California for in-state tuition ($28,090.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 142.7% higher at Wheeling Jesuit University than PennWest California ($28,090.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at PennWest California are 11.6% lower than costs at Wheeling Jesuit University ($10,416 vs. $11,620)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheeling Jesuit University than PennWest California (99% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wheeling Jesuit University students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest California ($21,746 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at Wheeling Jesuit University (1032) is 110 points higher than at PennWest California (922)
  • Incoming Wheeling Jesuit University students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at PennWest California (20)
  • Accepted freshman Wheeling Jesuit University students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at PennWest California (3.31)

PennWest California vs. Wheeling Jesuit University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest California or Wheeling Jesuit University? 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 Wheeling Jesuit University and PennWest California.

  • The graduation rate at Wheeling Jesuit University is higher than PennWest California (62% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Wheeling Jesuit University earn on average $5,600 more per year than PennWest California graduates after ten years. ($48,100 vs. $42,500)
  • PennWest California students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Wheeling Jesuit University graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • PennWest California graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Wheeling Jesuit University graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Wheeling Jesuit University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PennWest California students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 64%)

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