UVa-Wise vs. UVA

Should I go to The University of Virginia's College at Wise or University of Virginia Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UVa-Wise or UVA 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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The University of Virginia's College at Wise vs. University of Virginia Main Campus comparison
The University of Virginia's College at Wise University of Virginia Main Campus College 3 College 4
The University of Virginia's College at Wise University of Virginia Main Campus
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Overview

UVa-Wise UVA
Location Wise, VA Charlottesville, VA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,704 26,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #750 #59
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uvawise.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UVa-Wise UVA
Tuition (In State) $6,040 $16,980
Tuition (Out of State) $25,419 $51,870
Room & Board $11,919 $12,890
Avg Net Price $9,923 $19,469
Avg Grant Aid $14,299 $26,818
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 34%

Admission

UVa-Wise UVA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 835 50,926
Admitted 631 9,503
Acceptance Rate 75.6% 18.7%
Enrolled % 39.8% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.85
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Elite
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 19/25 32/34
SAT Range 915/1160 1400/1540
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

UVa-Wise UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

UVa-Wise UVA
Graduation Rate 39% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,100 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,827 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $215 $201

Diversity

UVa-Wise UVA
% Men 40% 45%
% Women 60% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 78% 60%
% Black 12% 6%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 5%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 7% 6%

Students

UVa-Wise UVA
% In-State 76% 62%
% Out-of-State 21% 33%

Campus

UVa-Wise UVA
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is larger than than UVa-Wise based on total student enrollment (26,082 students vs. 1,704 students)

UVa-Wise vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UVa-Wise or UVA?

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is 181.1% more expensive to attend than UVa-Wise for in-state tuition ($16,980.00 vs. $6,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 104.1% higher at UVA than The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($51,870.00 vs. $25,419.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than UVA ($9,923 vs. $19,469)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Virginia's College at Wise are 8.1% lower than costs at University of Virginia Main Campus ($11,919 vs. $12,890)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than University of Virginia Main Campus (98% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Virginia Main Campus students is 87.6% larger than aid received The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($26,818 vs. $14,299)

UVa-Wise vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Virginia Main Campus (1364) is 422 points higher than at UVa-Wise (942)
  • Incoming UVA students have a 11 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at UVa-Wise (20)
  • Accepted freshman UVA students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at UVa-Wise (3.57)
  • UVa-Wise has a higher acceptance rate (75.6%) than UVA (18.7%)

UVa-Wise vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UVa-Wise or UVA? 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 UVA and UVa-Wise.

  • The graduation rate at UVA is higher than The University of Virginia's College at Wise (94% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from University of Virginia Main Campus earn on average $35,100 more per year than UVa-Wise graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $42,100)
  • University of Virginia Main Campus students graduate with a $1,327 lower median federal student loan debt than UVa-Wise graduates. ($19,500 vs. $20,827)
  • UVA graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than UVa-Wise graduates. ($201 vs. $215)
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UVa-Wise students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 57%)

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