Rider University vs. VCU

Should I go to Rider University or Virginia Commonwealth University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Rider University or VCU 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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Rider University vs. Virginia Commonwealth University comparison
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Rider University Virginia Commonwealth University
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Overview

Rider University VCU
Location Lawrenceville, NJ Richmond, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 4,054 28,082
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #263 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rider.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Rider University VCU
Tuition (In State) $36,000 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $36,000 $33,726
Room & Board $16,130 $12,279
Avg Net Price $26,388 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $26,336 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 83%

Admission

Rider University VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,340 18,242
Admitted 7,858 16,600
Acceptance Rate 84.1% 91%
Enrolled % 9.9% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/29 22/30
SAT Range 1100/1300 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

Rider University VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Education (15%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

Rider University VCU
Graduation Rate 63% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,000 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,750 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $266 $240

Diversity

Rider University VCU
% Men 41% 36%
% Women 59% 64%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 50%
% Black 12% 18%
% Hispanic 12% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Rider University VCU
% In-State 74% 92%
% Out-of-State 23% 6%

Campus

Rider University VCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than Rider University based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 4,054 students)

Rider University vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rider University or VCU?

  • Rider University is 189% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($36,000.00 vs. $12,458.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.7% higher at Rider University than Virginia Commonwealth University ($36,000.00 vs. $33,726.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Commonwealth University than Rider University ($21,294 vs. $26,388)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 31.4% lower than costs at Rider University ($12,279 vs. $16,130)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rider University than Virginia Commonwealth University (99% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rider University students is 109.3% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($26,336 vs. $12,583)

Rider University vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 83 points higher than at Rider University (1014)
  • Incoming VCU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Rider University (22)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Rider University (3.41)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than Rider University (84.1%)

Rider University vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rider University 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 Rider University.

  • The graduation rate at Rider University is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (63% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Rider University earn on average $5,500 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($53,000 vs. $47,500)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Rider University graduates. ($23,250 vs. $25,750)
  • VCU graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Rider University graduates. ($240 vs. $266)
  • More Rider University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 56%)

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