Iona College vs. WCU

Should I go to Iona College or West Chester University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Iona College 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.

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Iona College vs. West Chester University of Pennsylvania comparison
Iona College West Chester University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
Iona College West Chester University of Pennsylvania
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Overview

Iona College WCU
Location New Rochelle, NY West Chester, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,720 17,076
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #492 #532
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iona.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iona College WCU
Tuition (In State) $43,680 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $43,680 $19,290
Room & Board $18,270 $12,474
Avg Net Price $28,557 $21,684
Avg Grant Aid $29,258 $5,503
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 70%

Admission

Iona College WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,289 16,467
Admitted 6,643 13,042
Acceptance Rate 91.1% 79.2%
Enrolled % 12.1% 23.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/28 24/28
SAT Range 1055/1265 1100/1270
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, 2026

Academics

Iona College WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (37%)
  • Communication (17%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

Iona College WCU
Graduation Rate 57% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,400 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,047 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $269 $242

Diversity

Iona College WCU
% Men 5% 5%
% Women 11% 11%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 78%
% Black 8% 11%
% Hispanic 22% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 0%

Students

Iona College WCU
% In-State 78% 87%
% Out-of-State 20% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Iona College based on total student enrollment (17,076 students vs. 3,720 students)

Iona College vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iona College or WCU?

  • Iona College is 466.1% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($43,680.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 126.4% higher at Iona College than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($43,680.00 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 Iona College ($21,684 vs. $28,557)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are 46.5% lower than costs at Iona College ($12,474 vs. $18,270)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iona College than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (100% vs. 70%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iona College students is 431.7% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($29,258 vs. $5,503)

Iona College vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 67 points higher than at Iona College (1005)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Iona College (23)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at Iona College (3.4)
  • Iona College has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than WCU (79.2%)

Iona College vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iona College 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 Iona College.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Iona College (68% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Iona College earn on average $9,400 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $49,000)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $2,547 lower median federal student loan debt than Iona College graduates. ($23,500 vs. $26,047)
  • WCU graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Iona College graduates. ($242 vs. $269)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iona College students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 73%)

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