Penn State vs. WCU

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

 Penn State WCU
Location University Park, PA West Chester, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 50,028 17,275
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #167 #496
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State WCU
Tuition (In State) $18,368 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $35,946 $19,290
Room & Board $12,744 $14,228
Avg Net Price $26,747 $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $10,066 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 44% 64%

Admission

 Penn State WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 85,784 14,778
Admitted 47,360 12,982
Acceptance Rate 55.2% 87.8%
Enrolled % 19.5% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA - 3.43
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/31 23/30
SAT Range 1210/1390 1080/1260
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

Academics

 Penn State WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 Penn State WCU
Graduation Rate 87% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $277 $242

Diversity

 Penn State WCU
% Men 53% 39%
% Women 47% 61%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 78%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 11% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 Penn State WCU
% In-State 51% 87%
% Out-of-State 40% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 17,275 students)

Penn State vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or WCU?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 138.1% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 86.3% higher at Penn State than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($35,946.00 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 Penn State ($22,973 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 11.6% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($12,744 vs. $14,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than Penn State Main Campus (64% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 84.9% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($10,066 vs. $5,443)

Penn State vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Main Campus (1202) is 130 points higher than at WCU (1072)
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at WCU (24)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Penn State (55.2%)

Penn State vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State 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 Penn State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (87% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $6,300 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $49,000)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $3,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($23,500 vs. $26,818)
  • WCU graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($242 vs. $277)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 69%)

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