UNLV vs. VCU

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

 UNLV VCU
Location Las Vegas, NV Richmond, VA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 30,660 28,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #609 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unlv.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNLV VCU
Tuition (In State) $8,159 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $24,701 $33,726
Room & Board $11,512 $12,279
Avg Net Price $13,159 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $6,346 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 83%

Admission

 UNLV VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,275 18,242
Admitted 11,325 16,600
Acceptance Rate 85.3% 91%
Enrolled % 38.1% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 22/30
SAT Range 1000/1220 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 Jun 1, 2025 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

 UNLV VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 UNLV VCU
Graduation Rate 40% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,600 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,018 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $196 $240

Diversity

 UNLV VCU
% Men 43% 36%
% Women 57% 64%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 35% 50%
% Black 8% 18%
% Hispanic 26% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 9% 6%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 UNLV VCU
% In-State 82% 92%
% Out-of-State 16% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Nevada Las Vegas is larger than than VCU based on total student enrollment (30,660 students vs. 28,082 students)

UNLV vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNLV or VCU?

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 52.7% more expensive to attend than UNLV for in-state tuition ($12,458.00 vs. $8,159.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 36.5% higher at VCU than University of Nevada Las Vegas ($33,726.00 vs. $24,701.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Nevada Las Vegas than VCU ($13,159 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Nevada Las Vegas are 6.7% lower than costs at Virginia Commonwealth University ($11,512 vs. $12,279)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nevada Las Vegas than Virginia Commonwealth University (89% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 98.3% larger than aid received University of Nevada Las Vegas ($12,583 vs. $6,346)

UNLV vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 90 points higher than at UNLV (1007)
  • Incoming VCU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at UNLV (22)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at UNLV (3.4)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than UNLV (85.3%)

UNLV vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNLV 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 UNLV.

  • The graduation rate at VCU is higher than University of Nevada Las Vegas (53% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from University of Nevada Las Vegas earn on average $100 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($47,600 vs. $47,500)
  • University of Nevada Las Vegas students graduate with a $4,232 lower median federal student loan debt than VCU graduates. ($19,018 vs. $23,250)
  • UNLV graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than VCU graduates. ($196 vs. $240)
  • More VCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNLV students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 52%)

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