CSU vs. VCM

Should I go to Chicago State University or VanderCook College of Music? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU or VCM 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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Chicago State University vs. VanderCook College of Music comparison
Chicago State University VanderCook College of Music College 3 College 4
Chicago State University
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Overview

CSU VCM
Location Chicago, IL Chicago, IL
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 2,317 263
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #870
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csu.edu vandercook.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU VCM
Tuition (In State) $7,656 $27,670
Tuition (Out of State) $7,656 $27,670
Room & Board $13,800 $7,500
Avg Net Price $6,446 $12,436
Avg Grant Aid $15,891 $27,884
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 100%

Admission

CSU VCM
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,404 22
Admitted 3,592 22
Acceptance Rate 48.5% 100%
Enrolled % 4.8% 50%
Avg High School GPA 3.18 3.1
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/19 15/20
SAT Range 750/963 890/1160
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 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

CSU VCM
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 4:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (31%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Education (100%)

Outcomes

CSU VCM
Graduation Rate 21% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,300 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 25% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,250 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $323 $279

Diversity

CSU VCM
% Men 33% 43%
% Women 67% 57%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 3% 62%
% Black 75% 8%
% Hispanic 8% 21%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 12% 2%

Students

CSU VCM
% In-State 77% 58%
% Out-of-State 20% 42%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Chicago State University is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (2,317 students vs. 263 students)

CSU vs. VCM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or VCM?

  • VanderCook College of Music is 261.4% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($27,670.00 vs. $7,656.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 261.4% higher at VCM than Chicago State University ($27,670.00 vs. $7,656.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Chicago State University than VCM ($6,446 vs. $12,436)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 84% lower than costs at Chicago State University ($7,500 vs. $13,800)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music than Chicago State University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 75.5% larger than aid received Chicago State University ($27,884 vs. $15,891)

CSU vs. VCM Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 232 points higher than at CSU (875)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at CSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman CSU students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.18) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than CSU (48.5%)

CSU vs. VCM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or VCM? 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 VCM and CSU.

  • The graduation rate at VCM is higher than Chicago State University (45% vs. 21%)
  • VanderCook College of Music students graduate with a $4,250 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($27,000 vs. $31,250)
  • VCM graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($279 vs. $323)
  • More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 25%)

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