Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. WCU

Comparable Facts

Compare Penn State Greater Allegheny in McKeesport, PA with West Chester University of Pennsylvania in West Chester, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than Penn State Greater Allegheny based on total student enrollment (17,171 students vs. 352 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Penn State Greater Allegheny is located in McKeesport, PA (Large Suburban setting); West Chester University of Pennsylvania is in West Chester, PA (Large Suburban setting).
• Penn State Greater Allegheny is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Penn State Greater Allegheny 9:1; West Chester University of Pennsylvania 20:1.

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Greater Allegheny or WCU? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Greater Allegheny than WCU ($15,574 vs. $22,546).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Greater Allegheny are 2.4% lower than at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($14,474 vs. $14,828).
• Penn State Greater Allegheny is 33.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than WCU (about $3,633 more per year; $14,408.00 vs. $10,775.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 6.8% higher at Penn State Greater Allegheny than at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (about $1,535 more per year; $24,134.00 vs. $22,599.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Penn State Greater Allegheny than at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (86% vs. 73%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Greater Allegheny students is 94.8% larger than aid received by West Chester University of Pennsylvania students ($11,121 vs. $5,709).

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. WCU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Greater Allegheny or WCU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between WCU and Penn State Greater Allegheny.

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1190) is 10 points higher than at Penn State Greater Allegheny (1180).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: Penn State Greater Allegheny 1080/1280; West Chester University of Pennsylvania 1100/1270.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresWest Chester University of Pennsylvania 24/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Penn State Greater Allegheny - Test optional; WCU - Test optional.
• Penn State Greater Allegheny has a higher acceptance rate (96.5%) than WCU (78.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.5% at Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. 22.4% at WCU.

Penn State Greater Allegheny vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Penn State Greater Allegheny and WCU? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• West Chester University of Pennsylvania's six-year graduation rate (68%) is higher than Penn State Greater Allegheny's (47%).
• Graduates from Penn State Greater Allegheny earn a median of about $6,300 more per year than WCU graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $49,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, West Chester University of Pennsylvania graduates have a $3,318 lower median loan debt than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates ($23,500 vs. $26,818).
• Among borrowers, WCU graduates have an estimated $35 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State Greater Allegheny graduates ($242 vs. $277).
• More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Greater Allegheny 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.