MBC vs. VCU

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

MBC VCU
Location Staunton, VA Richmond, VA
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,957 28,082
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1040 #442
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mbc.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MBC VCU
Tuition (In State) $31,611 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $31,611 $33,726
Room & Board $10,320 $12,279
Avg Net Price $18,746 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $24,389 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

MBC VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 18,242
Admitted - 16,600
Acceptance Rate 91%
Enrolled % 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 22/30
SAT Range 940/1120 1030/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 18, 2025

Academics

MBC VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • History (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

MBC VCU
Graduation Rate 49% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $279 $240

Diversity

MBC VCU
% Men 21% 36%
% Women 79% 64%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 50%
% Black 23% 18%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

MBC VCU
% In-State 75% 92%
% Out-of-State 22% 6%

Campus

MBC 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 MBC based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 1,957 students)

MBC vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MBC or VCU?

  • Mary Baldwin College is 153.7% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($31,611.00 vs. $12,458.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.7% higher at VCU than Mary Baldwin College ($33,726.00 vs. $31,611.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mary Baldwin College than VCU ($18,746 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mary Baldwin College are 19% lower than costs at Virginia Commonwealth University ($10,320 vs. $12,279)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mary Baldwin College than Virginia Commonwealth University (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mary Baldwin College students is 93.8% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($24,389 vs. $12,583)

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 88 points higher than at MBC (1009)
  • Incoming VCU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at MBC (22)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at MBC (3.57)

MBC vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MBC 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 MBC.

  • The graduation rate at VCU is higher than Mary Baldwin College (53% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn on average $9,100 more per year than MBC graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $38,400)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than MBC graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
  • VCU graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than MBC graduates. ($240 vs. $279)
  • More VCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MBC students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 53%)

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