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JMU Mason Virginia Tech Mary Washington College Old Dominion Penn State Altoona CNU William & Mary UVA WVU UMBC Howard| Penn State Berks | Virginia Commonwealth University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Penn State Berks | VCU | ||
| Location | Reading, PA | Richmond, VA | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 2,077 | 28,082 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #657 | #442 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | psu.edu | vcu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Penn State Berks | VCU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $15,388 | $12,458 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,854 | $33,726 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,334 | $12,279 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $21,728 | $21,294 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,528 | $12,583 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 66% | 83% |
Admission |
Penn State Berks | VCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,605 | 18,242 | ||
| Admitted | 5,453 | 16,600 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 97.3% | 91% | ||
| Enrolled % | 11.6% | 25.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.39 | 3.75 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 23/28 | 22/30 | ||
| SAT Range | 1090/1290 | 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 |
Penn State Berks | VCU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Penn State Berks | VCU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 55% | 53% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $55,300 | $47,500 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 69% | 56% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,818 | $23,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $277 | $240 |
Diversity |
Penn State Berks | VCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 59% | 36% | ||
| % Women | 41% | 64% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 68% | 50% | ||
| % Black | 9% | 18% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 6% | ||
| % International | 3% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Penn State Berks | VCU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 64% | 92% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 30% | 6% | ||
Campus |
Penn State Berks | 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 Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 2,077 students)
Penn State Berks vs. VCU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Penn State Berks or VCU?
- Penn State Berks is 23.5% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $12,458.00)
- Out of state tuition is 30.4% higher at VCU than Penn State Berks ($33,726.00 vs. $25,854.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Commonwealth University than Penn State Berks ($21,294 vs. $21,728)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 16.7% lower than costs at Penn State Berks ($12,279 vs. $14,334)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than Penn State Berks (83% vs. 66%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 47.5% larger than aid received Penn State Berks ($12,583 vs. $8,528)
Penn State Berks vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Berks or VCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VCU or Penn State Berks .
- The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 119 points higher than at Penn State Berks (978)
- Incoming VCU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State Berks (22)
- Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Penn State Berks (3.39)
- Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than VCU (91%)
Penn State Berks vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Penn State Berks 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 Penn State Berks.
- The graduation rate at Penn State Berks is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (55% vs. 53%)
- Graduates from Penn State Berks earn on average $7,800 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $47,500)
- Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $3,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Berks graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,818)
- VCU graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Berks graduates. ($240 vs. $277)
- More Penn State Berks graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 56%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/