UNCW vs. VCU

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

UNCW VCU
Location Wilmington, NC Richmond, VA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 17,843 28,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #377 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uncw.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNCW VCU
Tuition (In State) $4,443 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $19,063 $33,726
Room & Board $12,120 $12,279
Avg Net Price $18,709 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $6,217 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 83%

Admission

UNCW VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,860 18,242
Admitted 11,605 16,600
Acceptance Rate 68.8% 91%
Enrolled % 20.4% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/29 22/30
SAT Range 1220/1370 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 1, 2025 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

UNCW VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

UNCW VCU
Graduation Rate 67% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,700 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $211 $240

Diversity

UNCW VCU
% Men 34% 36%
% Women 66% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 78% 50%
% Black 5% 18%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

UNCW VCU
% In-State 80% 92%
% Out-of-State 19% 6%

Campus

UNCW 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 UNCW based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 17,843 students)

UNCW vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNCW or VCU?

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 180.4% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($12,458.00 vs. $4,443.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 76.9% higher at VCU than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($33,726.00 vs. $19,063.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Wilmington than VCU ($18,709 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are 1.3% lower than costs at Virginia Commonwealth University ($12,120 vs. $12,279)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (83% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 102.4% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($12,583 vs. $6,217)

UNCW vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Wilmington (1162) is 65 points higher than at VCU (1097)
  • Incoming UNCW students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at VCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at UNCW (3.56)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than UNCW (68.8%)

UNCW vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNCW 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 UNCW.

  • The graduation rate at UNCW is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (67% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn on average $2,800 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $44,700)
  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than VCU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,250)
  • UNCW graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than VCU graduates. ($211 vs. $240)
  • More UNCW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 56%)

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