CofC vs. VCU

Should I go to College of Charleston or Virginia Commonwealth University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CofC or VCU 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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College of Charleston vs. Virginia Commonwealth University comparison
College of Charleston Virginia Commonwealth University College 3 College 4
College of Charleston Virginia Commonwealth University
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Overview

CofC VCU
Location Charleston, SC Richmond, VA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 10,885 28,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #428 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cofc.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CofC VCU
Tuition (In State) $12,518 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $35,338 $33,726
Room & Board $12,986 $12,279
Avg Net Price $21,120 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $9,499 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

CofC VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,020 18,242
Admitted 16,666 16,600
Acceptance Rate 75.7% 91%
Enrolled % 13.3% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/30 22/30
SAT Range 1130/1300 1030/1290
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 Jan 15, 2025 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

CofC VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

CofC VCU
Graduation Rate 63% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $222 $240

Diversity

CofC VCU
% Men 32% 36%
% Women 68% 64%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 80% 50%
% Black 7% 18%
% Hispanic 5% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

CofC VCU
% In-State 44% 92%
% Out-of-State 54% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than CofC based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 10,885 students)

CofC vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CofC or VCU?

  • College of Charleston is 0.5% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($12,518.00 vs. $12,458.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.8% higher at CofC than Virginia Commonwealth University ($35,338.00 vs. $33,726.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of Charleston than VCU ($21,120 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 5.8% lower than costs at College of Charleston ($12,279 vs. $12,986)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Charleston than Virginia Commonwealth University (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 32.5% larger than aid received College of Charleston ($12,583 vs. $9,499)

CofC vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of Charleston (1141) is 44 points higher than at VCU (1097)
  • Incoming CofC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at VCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman CofC students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at VCU (3.75)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than CofC (75.7%)

CofC vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CofC or VCU? 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 VCU and CofC.

  • The graduation rate at CofC is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (63% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn on average $1,300 more per year than CofC graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $46,200)
  • College of Charleston students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than VCU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $23,250)
  • CofC graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than VCU graduates. ($222 vs. $240)
  • More CofC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 56%)

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