EMU vs. VCU

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

 EMU VCU
Location Harrisonburg, VA Richmond, VA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 1,292 28,238
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1047 #469
Religious Affiliation Mennonite Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website emu.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 EMU VCU
Tuition (In State) $41,410 $12,850
Tuition (Out of State) $41,410 $34,744
Room & Board $12,620 $16,119
Avg Net Price $24,710 $22,852
Avg Grant Aid $30,242 $12,433
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 99%

Admission

 EMU VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,179 19,052
Admitted 1,176 17,729
Acceptance Rate 99.7% 93.1%
Enrolled % 15.9% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.75
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/34 22/30
SAT Range 1040/1590 1030/1270
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 18, 2025

Academics

 EMU VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (30%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • General Studies (5%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 EMU VCU
Graduation Rate 66% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,900 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,450 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $242 $240

Diversity

 EMU VCU
% Men 6% 8%
% Women 27% 17%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 50%
% Black 10% 18%
% Hispanic 8% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 EMU VCU
% In-State 70% 92%
% Out-of-State 27% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than EMU based on total student enrollment (28,238 students vs. 1,292 students)

EMU vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, EMU or VCU?

  • Eastern Mennonite University is 222.3% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($41,410.00 vs. $12,850.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.2% higher at EMU than Virginia Commonwealth University ($41,410.00 vs. $34,744.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Commonwealth University than EMU ($22,852 vs. $24,710)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Mennonite University are 27.7% lower than costs at Virginia Commonwealth University ($12,620 vs. $16,119)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than Eastern Mennonite University (99% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Mennonite University students is 143.2% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($30,242 vs. $12,433)

EMU vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 88 points higher than at EMU (1009)
  • Incoming VCU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at EMU (22)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at EMU (3.7)
  • EMU has a higher acceptance rate (99.7%) than VCU (93.1%)

EMU vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, EMU 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 EMU.

  • The graduation rate at EMU is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (66% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn on average $3,600 more per year than EMU graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $43,900)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $200 lower median federal student loan debt than EMU graduates. ($23,250 vs. $23,450)
  • VCU graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than EMU graduates. ($240 vs. $242)
  • More EMU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 56%)

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