Chatham vs. WCU

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

Chatham WCU
Location Pittsburgh, PA West Chester, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 2,387 17,275
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #288 #496
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website chatham.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Chatham WCU
Tuition (In State) $40,625 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $40,625 $19,290
Room & Board $12,719 $14,228
Avg Net Price $28,322 $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $27,330 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 64%

Admission

Chatham WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,514 14,778
Admitted 2,331 12,982
Acceptance Rate 66.3% 87.8%
Enrolled % 13.1% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.43
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/29 23/30
SAT Range 1060/1270 1080/1260
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

Academics

Chatham WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

Chatham WCU
Graduation Rate 60% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,700 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $211 $242

Diversity

Chatham WCU
% Men 25% 39%
% Women 75% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 78%
% Black 10% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

Chatham WCU
% In-State 70% 87%
% Out-of-State 26% 12%

Campus

Chatham WCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Chatham based on total student enrollment (17,275 students vs. 2,387 students)

Chatham vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Chatham or WCU?

  • Chatham University is 426.5% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($40,625.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 110.6% higher at Chatham than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($40,625.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than Chatham ($22,973 vs. $28,322)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Chatham University are 11.9% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($12,719 vs. $14,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Chatham University than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (100% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Chatham University students is 402.1% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($27,330 vs. $5,443)

Chatham vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Chatham students have a 0.43 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at WCU (3.43)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Chatham (66.3%)

Chatham vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Chatham 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 Chatham.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Chatham University (68% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $12,300 more per year than Chatham graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $36,700)
  • Chatham University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,500)
  • Chatham graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($211 vs. $242)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Chatham students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 62%)

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