University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Villanova

Should I go to University of Massachusetts Lowell or Villanova University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of Massachusetts-Lowell or Villanova 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 Massachusetts Lowell vs. Villanova University comparison
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University of Massachusetts Lowell Villanova University
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Overview

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Villanova
Location Lowell, MA Villanova, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,770 10,111
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #428 #65
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uml.edu villanova.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Villanova
Tuition (In State) $15,850 $63,806
Tuition (Out of State) $34,676 $63,806
Room & Board $15,424 $16,896
Avg Net Price $17,624 $37,946
Avg Grant Aid $12,647 $42,948
% Receiving Grant Aid 79% 47%

Admission

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Villanova
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,628 23,127
Admitted 10,764 5,810
Acceptance Rate 85.2% 25.1%
Enrolled % 19.4% 29.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.87
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/30 32/34
SAT Range 1180/1350 1400/1510
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, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Villanova
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Villanova
Graduation Rate 50% 90%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $85,100
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,497
Median Loan Payment $258 $273

Diversity

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Villanova
% Men 15% 14%
% Women 13% 16%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 64% 74%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Villanova
% In-State 87% 20%
% Out-of-State 10% 77%

Campus

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Villanova
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell is larger than than Villanova based on total student enrollment (16,770 students vs. 10,111 students)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Villanova Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or Villanova?

  • Villanova University is 302.6% more expensive to attend than University of Massachusetts-Lowell for in-state tuition ($63,806.00 vs. $15,850.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 84% higher at Villanova than University of Massachusetts Lowell ($63,806.00 vs. $34,676.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Lowell than Villanova ($17,624 vs. $37,946)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Lowell are 9.5% lower than costs at Villanova University ($15,424 vs. $16,896)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Lowell than Villanova University (79% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Villanova University students is 239.6% larger than aid received University of Massachusetts Lowell ($42,948 vs. $12,647)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Villanova Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Villanova University (1326) is 129 points higher than at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (1197)
  • Incoming Villanova students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (26)
  • Accepted freshman Villanova students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at University of Massachusetts-Lowell (3.67)
  • University of Massachusetts-Lowell has a higher acceptance rate (85.2%) than Villanova (25.1%)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Villanova Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Massachusetts-Lowell or Villanova? 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 Villanova and University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

  • The graduation rate at Villanova is higher than University of Massachusetts Lowell (90% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Villanova University earn on average $29,800 more per year than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates after ten years. ($85,100 vs. $55,300)
  • University of Massachusetts Lowell students graduate with a $1,497 lower median federal student loan debt than Villanova graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,497)
  • University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Villanova graduates. ($258 vs. $273)
  • More Villanova graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Massachusetts-Lowell students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 63%)

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