Ship vs. WCU

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

 Ship WCU
Location Shippensburg, PA West Chester, PA
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 5,162 17,275
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #666 #496
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ship.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Ship WCU
Tuition (In State) $9,570 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $10,048 $19,290
Room & Board $11,538 $14,228
Avg Net Price $21,462 $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $7,593 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 64%

Admission

 Ship WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,367 14,778
Admitted 5,590 12,982
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 87.8%
Enrolled % 19.3% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.43
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/30
SAT Range 980/1210 1080/1260
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Ship WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 Ship WCU
Graduation Rate 60% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,200 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $242

Diversity

 Ship WCU
% Men 47% 39%
% Women 53% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 78%
% Black 10% 11%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 Ship WCU
% In-State 90% 87%
% Out-of-State 10% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Ship based on total student enrollment (17,275 students vs. 5,162 students)

Ship vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Ship or WCU?

  • Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is 24% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($9,570.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 92% higher at WCU than Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania ($19,290.00 vs. $10,048.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania than WCU ($21,462 vs. $22,973)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania are 23.3% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($11,538 vs. $14,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (91% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania students is 39.5% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($7,593 vs. $5,443)

Ship vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 93 points higher than at Ship (979)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Ship (21)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at Ship (3.23)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Ship (87.8%)

Ship vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Ship 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 Ship.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (68% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $1,800 more per year than Ship graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $47,200)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Ship graduates. ($23,500 vs. $25,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Ship graduates. ($242 vs. $258)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ship students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 72%)

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