FDU vs. VCU

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

 FDU VCU
Location Madison, NJ Richmond, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 2,823 28,082
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #342 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fdu.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 FDU VCU
Tuition (In State) $33,264 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $33,264 $33,726
Room & Board $15,588 $12,279
Avg Net Price $21,408 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $28,436 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

 FDU VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,421 18,242
Admitted 3,940 16,600
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 91%
Enrolled % 11.9% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/30 22/30
SAT Range 1040/1310 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 18, 2025

Academics

 FDU VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 FDU VCU
Graduation Rate 55% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,900 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $268 $240

Diversity

 FDU VCU
% Men 41% 36%
% Women 59% 64%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 50%
% Black 11% 18%
% Hispanic 16% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 6%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

 FDU VCU
% In-State 81% 92%
% Out-of-State 18% 6%

Campus

 FDU 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 FDU based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 2,823 students)

FDU vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FDU or VCU?

  • Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham is 167% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($33,264.00 vs. $12,458.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.4% higher at VCU than Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham ($33,726.00 vs. $33,264.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Commonwealth University than FDU ($21,294 vs. $21,408)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 26.9% lower than costs at Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham ($12,279 vs. $15,588)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham than Virginia Commonwealth University (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham students is 126% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($28,436 vs. $12,583)

FDU vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 63 points higher than at FDU (1034)
  • Incoming VCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at FDU (23)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at FDU (3.42)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than FDU (89.1%)

FDU vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, FDU 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 FDU.

  • The graduation rate at FDU is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (55% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Fairleigh Dickinson University College at Florham earn on average $5,400 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($52,900 vs. $47,500)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than FDU graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,000)
  • VCU graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than FDU graduates. ($240 vs. $268)
  • More FDU 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/