LRC vs. VCU

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

 LRC VCU
Location Pittsburgh, PA Richmond, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 2,618 28,238
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #677 #469
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website laroche.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 LRC VCU
Tuition (In State) $31,960 $12,850
Tuition (Out of State) $31,960 $34,744
Room & Board $13,268 $16,119
Avg Net Price $24,638 $22,852
Avg Grant Aid $21,167 $12,433
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 99%

Admission

 LRC VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,063 19,052
Admitted 1,601 17,729
Acceptance Rate 77.6% 93.1%
Enrolled % 10.7% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.75
Typical High School Grades B A-
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30
SAT Range 1055/1235 1030/1270
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 Aug 1, 2026 Jan 18, 2026

Academics

 LRC VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 LRC VCU
Graduation Rate 51% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,300 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $268 $240

Diversity

 LRC VCU
% Men 4% 8%
% Women 8% 17%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 50%
% Black 8% 18%
% Hispanic 2% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 6%
% International 16% 3%
% Unknown Race 8% 1%

Students

 LRC VCU
% In-State 75% 92%
% Out-of-State 5% 6%

Campus

 LRC 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 LRC based on total student enrollment (28,238 students vs. 2,618 students)

LRC vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LRC or VCU?

  • La Roche College is 148.7% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($31,960.00 vs. $12,850.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.7% higher at VCU than La Roche College ($34,744.00 vs. $31,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Commonwealth University than LRC ($22,852 vs. $24,638)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at La Roche College are 21.5% lower than costs at Virginia Commonwealth University ($13,268 vs. $16,119)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than La Roche College (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by La Roche College students is 70.2% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($21,167 vs. $12,433)

LRC vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 158 points higher than at LRC (939)
  • Incoming VCU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at LRC (20)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.55 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at LRC (3.2)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (93.1%) than LRC (77.6%)

LRC vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, LRC 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 LRC.

  • The graduation rate at VCU is higher than La Roche College (53% vs. 51%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn on average $3,200 more per year than LRC graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $44,300)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than LRC graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,000)
  • VCU graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than LRC graduates. ($240 vs. $268)
  • More LRC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 56%)

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