Howard vs. WCU

Should I go to Howard University or West Chester University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Howard or WCU 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Temple Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Maryland Millersville University of Pennsylvania Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Penn State TU Drexel George Washington WVU UMBC Spelman
Howard University vs. West Chester University of Pennsylvania comparison
Howard University West Chester University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
Howard University West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Howard WCU
Location Washington, DC West Chester, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 12,886 17,275
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #318 #496
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website howard.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Howard WCU
Tuition (In State) $30,584 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $30,584 $19,290
Room & Board $15,880 $14,228
Avg Net Price $28,279 $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $20,063 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 64%

Admission

 Howard WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,188 14,778
Admitted 10,253 12,982
Acceptance Rate 53.4% 87.8%
Enrolled % 24.3% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 23/30
SAT Range 1050/1290 1080/1260
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 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

 Howard WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Communication (20%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 Howard WCU
Graduation Rate 63% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $242

Diversity

 Howard WCU
% Men 29% 39%
% Women 71% 61%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 78%
% Black 91% 11%
% Hispanic 0% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 5% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

 Howard WCU
% In-State 1% 87%
% Out-of-State 91% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Howard based on total student enrollment (17,275 students vs. 12,886 students)

Howard vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Howard or WCU?

  • Howard University is 296.4% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($30,584.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 58.5% higher at Howard than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($30,584.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than Howard ($22,973 vs. $28,279)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are 11.6% lower than costs at Howard University ($14,228 vs. $15,880)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Howard University than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (99% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Howard University students is 268.6% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($20,063 vs. $5,443)

Howard vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Howard University (1105) is 33 points higher than at WCU (1072)
  • Incoming Howard students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at WCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman Howard students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at WCU (3.43)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Howard (53.4%)

Howard vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Howard or WCU? 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 WCU and Howard.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Howard University (68% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Howard University earn on average $2,800 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $49,000)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Howard graduates. ($23,500 vs. $27,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Howard graduates. ($242 vs. $279)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Howard students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 33%)

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