Penn State New Kensington vs. WCU

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

 Penn State New Kensington WCU
Location Upper Burrell, PA West Chester, PA
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 460 17,275
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #496
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State New Kensington WCU
Tuition (In State) $13,824 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $23,086 $19,290
Room & Board $12,984 $14,228
Avg Net Price $19,757 $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $7,860 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 64%

Admission

 Penn State New Kensington WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 678 14,778
Admitted 620 12,982
Acceptance Rate 91.4% 87.8%
Enrolled % 21.6% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA - 3.43
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30 23/30
SAT Range 1080/1210 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 New Kensington WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 Penn State New Kensington WCU
Graduation Rate 40% 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 New Kensington WCU
% Men 60% 39%
% Women 40% 61%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 78%
% Black 5% 11%
% Hispanic 2% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 Penn State New Kensington WCU
% In-State 85% 87%
% Out-of-State 13% 12%

Campus

 Penn State New Kensington WCU
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No 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 Penn State New Kensington based on total student enrollment (17,275 students vs. 460 students)

Penn State New Kensington vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State New Kensington or WCU?

  • Penn State New Kensington is 79.2% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($13,824.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.7% higher at Penn State New Kensington than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($23,086.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State New Kensington than WCU ($19,757 vs. $22,973)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State New Kensington are 9.6% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($12,984 vs. $14,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State New Kensington than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (93% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State New Kensington students is 44.4% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($7,860 vs. $5,443)

Penn State New Kensington vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 92 points higher than at Penn State New Kensington (980)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Penn State New Kensington (21)
  • Penn State New Kensington has a higher acceptance rate (91.4%) than WCU (87.8%)

Penn State New Kensington vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State New Kensington 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 New Kensington.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Penn State New Kensington (68% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Penn State New Kensington 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 New Kensington graduates. ($23,500 vs. $26,818)
  • WCU graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State New Kensington graduates. ($242 vs. $277)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State New Kensington 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/