Lees-McRae College vs. VCU

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

 Lees-McRae College VCU
Location Banner Elk, NC Richmond, VA
Setting Distant Rural Midsize City
Enrollment 855 28,082
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #442
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lmc.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Lees-McRae College VCU
Tuition (In State) $26,490 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $26,490 $33,726
Room & Board $12,200 $12,279
Avg Net Price $24,108 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $18,205 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

 Lees-McRae College VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,733 18,242
Admitted 1,063 16,600
Acceptance Rate 61.3% 91%
Enrolled % 19.9% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.75
Typical High School Grades - A-
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 22/30
SAT Range 1040/1240 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

 Lees-McRae College VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (25%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 Lees-McRae College VCU
Graduation Rate 24% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,300 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $206 $240

Diversity

 Lees-McRae College VCU
% Men 35% 36%
% Women 65% 64%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 50%
% Black 7% 18%
% Hispanic 4% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 6%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 18% 1%

Students

 Lees-McRae College VCU
% In-State 45% 92%
% Out-of-State 50% 6%

Campus

 Lees-McRae College 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 Lees-McRae College based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 855 students)

Lees-McRae College vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Lees-McRae College or VCU?

  • Lees McRae College is 112.6% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($26,490.00 vs. $12,458.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.3% higher at VCU than Lees McRae College ($33,726.00 vs. $26,490.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Commonwealth University than Lees-McRae College ($21,294 vs. $24,108)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lees McRae College are 0.6% lower than costs at Virginia Commonwealth University ($12,200 vs. $12,279)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lees McRae College than Virginia Commonwealth University (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lees McRae College students is 44.7% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($18,205 vs. $12,583)

Lees-McRae College vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than Lees-McRae College (61.3%)

Lees-McRae College vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Lees-McRae College 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 Lees-McRae College.

  • The graduation rate at VCU is higher than Lees McRae College (53% vs. 24%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn on average $13,200 more per year than Lees-McRae College graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $34,300)
  • Lees McRae College students graduate with a $3,250 lower median federal student loan debt than VCU graduates. ($20,000 vs. $23,250)
  • Lees-McRae College graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than VCU graduates. ($206 vs. $240)
  • More VCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lees-McRae College students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 55%)

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