University at Albany- SUNY vs. WCU

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

University at Albany- SUNY WCU
Location Albany, NY West Chester, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,880 17,076
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #242 #532
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website albany.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University at Albany- SUNY WCU
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $25,660 $19,290
Room & Board $16,182 $12,474
Avg Net Price $19,165 $21,684
Avg Grant Aid $9,747 $5,503
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 70%

Admission

University at Albany- SUNY WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 30,740 16,467
Admitted 21,477 13,042
Acceptance Rate 69.9% 79.2%
Enrolled % 13.2% 23.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/31 24/28
SAT Range 1120/1320 1100/1270
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

University at Albany- SUNY WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • English and Literature (14%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

University at Albany- SUNY WCU
Graduation Rate 64% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,800 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,065 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $217 $242

Diversity

University at Albany- SUNY WCU
% Men 11% 5%
% Women 17% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 49% 78%
% Black 16% 11%
% Hispanic 15% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

University at Albany- SUNY WCU
% In-State 93% 87%
% Out-of-State 4% 13%

Campus

University at Albany- SUNY 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 University at Albany- SUNY based on total student enrollment (17,076 students vs. 16,880 students)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University at Albany- SUNY or WCU?

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is 9.1% more expensive to attend than University at Albany- SUNY for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33% higher at University at Albany- SUNY than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($25,660.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Albany than WCU ($19,165 vs. $21,684)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are 29.7% lower than costs at SUNY at Albany ($12,474 vs. $16,182)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Albany than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (93% vs. 70%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Albany students is 77.1% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($9,747 vs. $5,503)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY at Albany (1091) is 19 points higher than at WCU (1072)
  • Incoming University at Albany- SUNY students have at the same average ACT score (24) as students at WCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at University at Albany- SUNY (3.3)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (79.2%) than University at Albany- SUNY (69.9%)

University at Albany- SUNY vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University at Albany- SUNY 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 University at Albany- SUNY.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than SUNY at Albany (68% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from SUNY at Albany earn on average $6,800 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($55,800 vs. $49,000)
  • SUNY at Albany students graduate with a $2,435 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($21,065 vs. $23,500)
  • University at Albany- SUNY graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($217 vs. $242)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University at Albany- SUNY students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 70%)

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