Penn vs. VWC

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

 Penn VWC
Location Philadelphia, PA Norfolk, VA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 28,201 1,538
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #23 #631
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website upenn.edu vwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn VWC
Tuition (In State) $56,212 $36,010
Tuition (Out of State) $56,212 $36,010
Room & Board $17,888 $11,070
Avg Net Price $26,123 $23,046
Avg Grant Aid $57,175 $27,568
% Receiving Grant Aid 46% 100%

Admission

 Penn VWC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,588 1,718
Admitted 3,549 1,399
Acceptance Rate 6.5% 81.4%
Enrolled % 67.9% 20.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.39
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 27/29
SAT Range 1500/1570 1190/1365
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 Jan 5, 2025

Academics

 Penn VWC
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 Penn VWC
Graduation Rate 96% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $123,600 $41,700
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,633 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $213 $279

Diversity

 Penn VWC
% Men 44% 44%
% Women 56% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 54%
% Black 7% 24%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 11% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 6%

Students

 Penn VWC
% In-State 16% 73%
% Out-of-State 67% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pennsylvania is larger than than VWC based on total student enrollment (28,201 students vs. 1,538 students)

Penn vs. VWC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn or VWC?

  • University of Pennsylvania is 56.1% more expensive to attend than VWC for in-state tuition ($56,212.00 vs. $36,010.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56.1% higher at Penn than Virginia Wesleyan College ($56,212.00 vs. $36,010.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Wesleyan College than Penn ($23,046 vs. $26,123)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Wesleyan College are 61.6% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($11,070 vs. $17,888)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Wesleyan College than University of Pennsylvania (100% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 107.4% larger than aid received Virginia Wesleyan College ($57,175 vs. $27,568)

Penn vs. VWC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 475 points higher than at VWC (982)
  • Incoming Penn students have a 11 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at VWC (22)
  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.56 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at VWC (3.39)
  • VWC has a higher acceptance rate (81.4%) than Penn (6.5%)

Penn vs. VWC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn or VWC? 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 VWC and Penn.

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Virginia Wesleyan College (96% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $81,900 more per year than VWC graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $41,700)
  • University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $6,367 lower median federal student loan debt than VWC graduates. ($20,633 vs. $27,000)
  • Penn graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than VWC graduates. ($213 vs. $279)
  • More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VWC students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 57%)

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