Penn vs. WCU

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

 Penn WCU
Location Philadelphia, PA West Chester, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 28,711 17,076
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #23 #532
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website upenn.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn WCU
Tuition (In State) $58,620 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $58,620 $19,290
Room & Board $18,496 $12,474
Avg Net Price $26,017 $21,684
Avg Grant Aid $59,721 $5,503
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 70%

Admission

 Penn WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 59,465 16,467
Admitted 3,489 13,042
Acceptance Rate 5.9% 79.2%
Enrolled % 69.2% 23.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.43
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Challenging
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 24/28
SAT Range 1500/1570 1100/1270
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 WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

 Penn WCU
Graduation Rate 96% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $123,600 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 84% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,633 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $213 $242

Diversity

 Penn WCU
% Men 26% 5%
% Women 33% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 45% 78%
% Black 7% 11%
% Hispanic 10% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 11% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 Penn WCU
% In-State 14% 87%
% Out-of-State 69% 13%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pennsylvania is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (28,711 students vs. 17,076 students)

Penn vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn or WCU?

  • University of Pennsylvania is 659.7% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($58,620.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 203.9% higher at Penn than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($58,620.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than Penn ($21,684 vs. $26,017)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are 48.3% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($12,474 vs. $18,496)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than University of Pennsylvania (70% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 985.2% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($59,721 vs. $5,503)

Penn vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 385 points higher than at WCU (1072)
  • Incoming Penn students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at WCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.52 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at WCU (3.43)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (79.2%) than Penn (5.9%)

Penn vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (96% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $74,600 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $49,000)
  • University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $2,867 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($20,633 vs. $23,500)
  • Penn graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($213 vs. $242)
  • More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 75%)

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