La Sierra University vs. VCM

Should I go to La Sierra University or VanderCook College of Music? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if La Sierra University or VCM 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 Sierra University vs. VanderCook College of Music comparison
La Sierra University VanderCook College of Music College 3 College 4
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Overview

La Sierra University VCM
Location Riverside, CA Chicago, IL
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 1,611 340
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #661
Religious Affiliation Seventh Day Adventists - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lasierra.edu vandercook.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

La Sierra University VCM
Tuition (In State) $34,920 $28,640
Tuition (Out of State) $34,920 $28,640
Room & Board $11,670 $7,500
Avg Net Price $28,076 $16,601
Avg Grant Aid $21,762 $22,249
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

La Sierra University VCM
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,238 37
Admitted 2,088 36
Acceptance Rate 93.3% 97.3%
Enrolled % 12.4% 47.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.1
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/28 15/20
SAT Range 880/1140 890/1160
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2026

Academics

La Sierra University VCM
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 4:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (24%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Education (100%)

Outcomes

La Sierra University VCM
Graduation Rate 32% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,900 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $30,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $310 $279

Diversity

La Sierra University VCM
% Men 9% 32%
% Women 14% 39%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 14% 62%
% Black 6% 8%
% Hispanic 48% 21%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 2% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 11% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

La Sierra University VCM
% In-State 84% 58%
% Out-of-State 9% 42%

Campus

La Sierra University VCM
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

  • La Sierra University is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (1,611 students vs. 340 students)

La Sierra University vs. VCM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, La Sierra University or VCM?

  • La Sierra University is 21.9% more expensive to attend than VCM for in-state tuition ($34,920.00 vs. $28,640.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.9% higher at La Sierra University than VanderCook College of Music ($34,920.00 vs. $28,640.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than La Sierra University ($16,601 vs. $28,076)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 55.6% lower than costs at La Sierra University ($7,500 vs. $11,670)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music than La Sierra University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 2.2% larger than aid received La Sierra University ($22,249 vs. $21,762)

La Sierra University vs. VCM Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 178 points higher than at La Sierra University (929)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at La Sierra University (19)
  • Accepted freshman La Sierra University students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than La Sierra University (93.3%)

La Sierra University vs. VCM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, La Sierra University or VCM? 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 VCM and La Sierra University.

  • The graduation rate at VCM is higher than La Sierra University (45% vs. 32%)
  • VanderCook College of Music students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than La Sierra University graduates. ($27,000 vs. $30,000)
  • VCM graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than La Sierra University graduates. ($279 vs. $310)
  • More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former La Sierra University students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 52%)

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