Meredith vs. WCU

Should I go to Meredith College or West Chester University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Meredith 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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Meredith College vs. West Chester University of Pennsylvania comparison
Meredith College West Chester University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
Meredith College West Chester University of Pennsylvania
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Overview

Meredith WCU
Location Raleigh, NC West Chester, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 1,576 17,076
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #344 #532
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website meredith.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Meredith WCU
Tuition (In State) $43,816 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $43,816 $19,290
Room & Board $12,920 $12,474
Avg Net Price $23,405 $21,684
Avg Grant Aid $32,095 $5,503
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 70%

Admission

Meredith WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,563 16,467
Admitted 1,167 13,042
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 79.2%
Enrolled % 27.8% 23.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/30 24/28
SAT Range 1110/1260 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, 2025

Academics

Meredith WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

Meredith WCU
Graduation Rate 59% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,000 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $242

Diversity

Meredith WCU
% Men 2% 5%
% Women 15% 11%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 78%
% Black 10% 11%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 5% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Meredith WCU
% In-State 83% 87%
% Out-of-State 10% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Meredith based on total student enrollment (17,076 students vs. 1,576 students)

Meredith vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Meredith or WCU?

  • Meredith College is 467.9% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($43,816.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 127.1% higher at Meredith than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($43,816.00 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 Meredith ($21,684 vs. $23,405)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are 3.6% lower than costs at Meredith College ($12,474 vs. $12,920)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Meredith College than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (99% vs. 70%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Meredith College students is 483.2% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($32,095 vs. $5,503)

Meredith vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 36 points higher than at Meredith (1036)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Meredith (23)
  • Accepted freshman Meredith students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at WCU (3.43)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (79.2%) than Meredith (74.7%)

Meredith vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Meredith 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 Meredith.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Meredith College (68% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $9,000 more per year than Meredith graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $40,000)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Meredith graduates. ($23,500 vs. $26,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Meredith graduates. ($242 vs. $268)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Meredith students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 65%)

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