Kentucky vs. VCU

Should I go to University of Kentucky or Virginia Commonwealth University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Kentucky 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.
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University of Kentucky vs. Virginia Commonwealth University comparison
University of Kentucky Virginia Commonwealth University College 3 College 4
University of Kentucky Virginia Commonwealth University
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Overview

 Kentucky VCU
Location Lexington, KY Richmond, VA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 31,547 28,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #408 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uky.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Kentucky VCU
Tuition (In State) $11,496 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $30,913 $33,726
Room & Board $14,676 $12,279
Avg Net Price $18,693 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $14,114 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 83%

Admission

 Kentucky VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,109 18,242
Admitted 20,979 16,600
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 91%
Enrolled % 28.9% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 22/30
SAT Range 1070/1290 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 Feb 15, 2025 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

 Kentucky VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 Kentucky VCU
Graduation Rate 59% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,750 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $235 $240

Diversity

 Kentucky VCU
% Men 40% 36%
% Women 60% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 50%
% Black 8% 18%
% Hispanic 4% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 Kentucky VCU
% In-State 61% 92%
% Out-of-State 37% 6%

Campus

 Kentucky 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

  • University of Kentucky is larger than than VCU based on total student enrollment (31,547 students vs. 28,082 students)

Kentucky vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or VCU?

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 8.4% more expensive to attend than Kentucky for in-state tuition ($12,458.00 vs. $11,496.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.1% higher at VCU than University of Kentucky ($33,726.00 vs. $30,913.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kentucky than VCU ($18,693 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 19.5% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($12,279 vs. $14,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kentucky than Virginia Commonwealth University (94% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 12.2% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($14,114 vs. $12,583)

Kentucky vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kentucky (1143) is 46 points higher than at VCU (1097)
  • Incoming Kentucky students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at VCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Kentucky (3.59)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than VCU (91%)

Kentucky vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kentucky 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 Kentucky.

  • The graduation rate at Kentucky is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (59% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from University of Kentucky earn on average $3,500 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $47,500)
  • University of Kentucky students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than VCU graduates. ($22,750 vs. $23,250)
  • Kentucky graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than VCU graduates. ($235 vs. $240)
  • More Kentucky graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 56%)

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