William & Mary vs. VCU

Should I go to College of William and Mary or Virginia Commonwealth University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if William & Mary 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 William and Mary vs. Virginia Commonwealth University comparison
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College of William and Mary Virginia Commonwealth University
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Overview

William & Mary VCU
Location Williamsburg, VA Richmond, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 9,654 28,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #61 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wm.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

William & Mary VCU
Tuition (In State) $17,434 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $40,089 $33,726
Room & Board $13,828 $12,279
Avg Net Price $25,688 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $15,134 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 83%

Admission

William & Mary VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,087 18,242
Admitted 6,059 16,600
Acceptance Rate 33.5% 91%
Enrolled % 27.1% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.85 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 32/34 22/30
SAT Range 1375/1520 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 2, 2025 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

William & Mary VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Business (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • History (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

William & Mary VCU
Graduation Rate 91% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $68,700 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $201 $240

Diversity

William & Mary VCU
% Men 42% 36%
% Women 58% 64%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 50%
% Black 7% 18%
% Hispanic 9% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 6% 1%

Students

William & Mary VCU
% In-State 58% 92%
% Out-of-State 36% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than William & Mary based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 9,654 students)

William & Mary vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, William & Mary or VCU?

  • College of William and Mary is 39.9% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($17,434.00 vs. $12,458.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.9% higher at William & Mary than Virginia Commonwealth University ($40,089.00 vs. $33,726.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Commonwealth University than William & Mary ($21,294 vs. $25,688)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 12.6% lower than costs at College of William and Mary ($12,279 vs. $13,828)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than College of William and Mary (83% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of William and Mary students is 20.3% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($15,134 vs. $12,583)

William & Mary vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of William and Mary (1353) is 256 points higher than at VCU (1097)
  • Incoming William & Mary students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at VCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman William & Mary students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at VCU (3.75)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than William & Mary (33.5%)

William & Mary vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, William & Mary 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 William & Mary.

  • The graduation rate at William & Mary is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (91% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from College of William and Mary earn on average $21,200 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($68,700 vs. $47,500)
  • College of William and Mary students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than VCU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $23,250)
  • William & Mary graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than VCU graduates. ($201 vs. $240)
  • More William & Mary graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 56%)

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