Elon vs. VCU

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

Elon VCU
Location Elon, NC Richmond, VA
Setting Small Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 7,123 28,082
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #116 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website elon.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Elon VCU
Tuition (In State) $41,734 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $41,734 $33,726
Room & Board $13,886 $12,279
Avg Net Price $41,527 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $13,880 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 83%

Admission

Elon VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,551 18,242
Admitted 13,069 16,600
Acceptance Rate 74.5% 91%
Enrolled % 12.9% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/30 22/30
SAT Range 1170/1360 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 10, 2025 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

Elon VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Communication (19%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

Elon VCU
Graduation Rate 82% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,200 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $240 $240

Diversity

Elon VCU
% Men 40% 36%
% Women 60% 64%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 82% 50%
% Black 6% 18%
% Hispanic 5% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 6%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Elon VCU
% In-State 18% 92%
% Out-of-State 80% 6%

Campus

Elon 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 Elon based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 7,123 students)

Elon vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Elon or VCU?

  • Elon University is 235% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($41,734.00 vs. $12,458.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.7% higher at Elon than Virginia Commonwealth University ($41,734.00 vs. $33,726.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Commonwealth University than Elon ($21,294 vs. $41,527)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 13.1% lower than costs at Elon University ($12,279 vs. $13,886)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than Elon University (83% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Elon University students is 10.3% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($13,880 vs. $12,583)

Elon vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Elon University (1211) is 114 points higher than at VCU (1097)
  • Incoming Elon students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at VCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Elon (3.65)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than Elon (74.5%)

Elon vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Elon 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 Elon.

  • The graduation rate at Elon is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (82% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Elon University earn on average $8,700 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $47,500)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University and Elon graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($23,250 vs. $23,250)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University and Elon graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($240 vs. $240)
  • More Elon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 56%)

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