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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Princeton Duke Cornell Harvard Johns Hopkins Georgetown Temple Stanford Brown Northwestern Dartmouth Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
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
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Penn WCU
Location Philadelphia, PA West Chester, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 28,201 17,275
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #23 #496
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website upenn.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn WCU
Tuition (In State) $56,212 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $56,212 $19,290
Room & Board $17,888 $14,228
Avg Net Price $26,123 $22,973
Avg Grant Aid $57,175 $5,443
% Receiving Grant Aid 46% 64%

Admission

 Penn WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,588 14,778
Admitted 3,549 12,982
Acceptance Rate 6.5% 87.8%
Enrolled % 67.9% 23.2%
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 23/30
SAT Range 1500/1570 1080/1260
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 44% 39%
% Women 56% 61%
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 16% 87%
% Out-of-State 67% 12%

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 (28,201 students vs. 17,275 students)

Penn vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn or WCU?

  • University of Pennsylvania is 628.5% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($56,212.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 191.4% higher at Penn than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($56,212.00 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 ($22,973 vs. $26,123)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are 25.7% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($14,228 vs. $17,888)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at West Chester University of Pennsylvania than University of Pennsylvania (64% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 950.4% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($57,175 vs. $5,443)

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 (87.8%) than Penn (6.5%)

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/