Penn State York vs. WCU

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

 Penn State York WCU
Location York, PA West Chester, PA
Setting Midsize Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 718 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 York WCU
Tuition (In State) $14,624 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $24,318 $19,290
Room & Board $12,984 $14,228
Avg Net Price $18,910 $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $8,440 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 84% 64%

Admission

 Penn State York WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,005 14,778
Admitted 1,862 12,982
Acceptance Rate 92.9% 87.8%
Enrolled % 10.3% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA - 3.43
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/26 23/30
SAT Range 1090/1300 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 York WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Work and Family Studies (24%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 Penn State York WCU
Graduation Rate 45% 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 York WCU
% Men 64% 39%
% Women 36% 61%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 63% 78%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 15% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 Penn State York WCU
% In-State 81% 87%
% Out-of-State 17% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Penn State York based on total student enrollment (17,275 students vs. 718 students)

Penn State York vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State York or WCU?

  • Penn State York is 89.5% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($14,624.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.1% higher at Penn State York than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($24,318.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State York than WCU ($18,910 vs. $22,973)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State York 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 York than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (84% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State York students is 55.1% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($8,440 vs. $5,443)

Penn State York vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 22 points higher than at Penn State York (1050)
  • Incoming Penn State York students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at WCU (24)
  • Penn State York has a higher acceptance rate (92.9%) than WCU (87.8%)

Penn State York vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State York 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 York.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Penn State York (68% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from Penn State York 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 York graduates. ($23,500 vs. $26,818)
  • WCU graduates are paying $35 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State York graduates. ($242 vs. $277)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State York 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/