Purchase College vs. WCU

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

 Purchase College WCU
Location Purchase, NY West Chester, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,182 17,275
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #319 #496
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Purchase College WCU
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $19,290
Room & Board $14,948 $14,228
Avg Net Price $19,434 $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $10,312 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 64%

Admission

 Purchase College WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,747 14,778
Admitted 4,292 12,982
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 87.8%
Enrolled % 16% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 29/31 23/30
SAT Range 1190/1350 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 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 Purchase College WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 Purchase College WCU
Graduation Rate 56% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $232 $242

Diversity

 Purchase College WCU
% Men 42% 39%
% Women 58% 61%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 78%
% Black 10% 11%
% Hispanic 18% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 7% 0%

Students

 Purchase College WCU
% In-State 85% 87%
% Out-of-State 14% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (17,275 students vs. 3,182 students)

Purchase College vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Purchase College or WCU?

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is 9.1% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.6% higher at WCU than SUNY at Purchase College ($19,290.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than WCU ($19,434 vs. $22,973)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are 5.1% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($14,228 vs. $14,948)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (73% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Purchase College students is 89.5% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($10,312 vs. $5,443)

Purchase College vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY at Purchase College (1082) is 10 points higher than at WCU (1072)
  • Incoming Purchase College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Purchase College (74.7%)

Purchase College vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College 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 Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (68% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $8,800 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $23,500)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($232 vs. $242)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 65%)

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