TU vs. WCU

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

 TU WCU
Location Towson, MD West Chester, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 19,527 17,076
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #375 #532
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website towson.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 TU WCU
Tuition (In State) $7,382 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $24,402 $19,290
Room & Board $15,644 $12,474
Avg Net Price $15,064 $21,684
Avg Grant Aid $11,565 $5,503
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 70%

Admission

 TU WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,948 16,467
Admitted 15,689 13,042
Acceptance Rate 82.8% 79.2%
Enrolled % 19.2% 23.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/28 24/28
SAT Range 1050/1270 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 Apr 1, 2026

Academics

 TU WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 TU WCU
Graduation Rate 64% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,750 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $183 $242

Diversity

 TU WCU
% Men 4% 5%
% Women 12% 11%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 61% 78%
% Black 18% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 TU WCU
% In-State 90% 87%
% Out-of-State 9% 13%

Campus

 TU 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

  • Towson University is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (19,527 students vs. 17,076 students)

TU vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TU or WCU?

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is 4.5% more expensive to attend than TU for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $7,382.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.5% higher at TU than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($24,402.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than WCU ($15,064 vs. $21,684)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are 25.4% lower than costs at Towson University ($12,474 vs. $15,644)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than Towson University (70% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Towson University students is 110.2% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($11,565 vs. $5,503)

TU vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Towson University (1081) is 9 points higher than at WCU (1072)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at TU (23)
  • Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at WCU (3.43)
  • TU has a higher acceptance rate (82.8%) than WCU (79.2%)

TU vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, TU 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 TU.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Towson University (68% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from Towson University earn on average $4,500 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $49,000)
  • Towson University students graduate with a $5,750 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($17,750 vs. $23,500)
  • TU graduates are paying $59 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($183 vs. $242)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 69%)

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