UVa-Wise vs. VCU

Should I go to The University of Virginia's College at Wise or Virginia Commonwealth University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UVa-Wise 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

JMU Mason Virginia Tech Mary Washington College Old Dominion CNU William & Mary UVA WVU UMBC Howard University of Richmond
The University of Virginia's College at Wise vs. Virginia Commonwealth University comparison
The University of Virginia's College at Wise Virginia Commonwealth University College 3 College 4
The University of Virginia's College at Wise Virginia Commonwealth University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UVa-Wise VCU
Location Wise, VA Richmond, VA
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,704 28,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #750 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uvawise.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UVa-Wise VCU
Tuition (In State) $6,040 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $25,419 $33,726
Room & Board $11,919 $12,279
Avg Net Price $9,923 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $14,299 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 83%

Admission

UVa-Wise VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 835 18,242
Admitted 631 16,600
Acceptance Rate 75.6% 91%
Enrolled % 39.8% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 22/30
SAT Range 915/1160 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 Aug 1, 2025 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

UVa-Wise VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • History (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

UVa-Wise VCU
Graduation Rate 39% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,100 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,827 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $215 $240

Diversity

UVa-Wise VCU
% Men 40% 36%
% Women 60% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 78% 50%
% Black 12% 18%
% Hispanic 2% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 6%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

UVa-Wise VCU
% In-State 76% 92%
% Out-of-State 21% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than UVa-Wise based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 1,704 students)

UVa-Wise vs. VCU Cost Comparison

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

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 106.3% more expensive to attend than UVa-Wise for in-state tuition ($12,458.00 vs. $6,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.7% higher at VCU than The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($33,726.00 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 VCU ($9,923 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Virginia's College at Wise are 3% lower than costs at Virginia Commonwealth University ($11,919 vs. $12,279)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than Virginia Commonwealth University (98% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Virginia's College at Wise students is 13.6% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($14,299 vs. $12,583)

UVa-Wise vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 155 points higher than at UVa-Wise (942)
  • Incoming VCU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UVa-Wise (20)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at UVa-Wise (3.57)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than UVa-Wise (75.6%)

UVa-Wise vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UVa-Wise 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 UVa-Wise.

  • The graduation rate at VCU is higher than The University of Virginia's College at Wise (53% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn on average $5,400 more per year than UVa-Wise graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $42,100)
  • The University of Virginia's College at Wise students graduate with a $2,423 lower median federal student loan debt than VCU graduates. ($20,827 vs. $23,250)
  • UVa-Wise graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than VCU graduates. ($215 vs. $240)
  • More UVa-Wise graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 56%)

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