VCM vs. BGSU

Should I go to VanderCook College of Music or Bowling Green State University Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if VCM or BGSU 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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VanderCook College of Music vs. Bowling Green State University Main Campus comparison
VanderCook College of Music Bowling Green State University Main Campus College 3 College 4
Bowling Green State University Main Campus
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Overview

VCM BGSU
Location Chicago, IL Bowling Green, OH
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 263 16,920
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #728
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vandercook.edu bgsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

VCM BGSU
Tuition (In State) $27,670 $11,272
Tuition (Out of State) $27,670 $19,845
Room & Board $7,500 $12,584
Avg Net Price $12,436 $20,485
Avg Grant Aid $27,884 $8,898
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 95%

Admission

VCM BGSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22 17,447
Admitted 22 13,723
Acceptance Rate 100% 78.7%
Enrolled % 50% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.6
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 20/25
SAT Range 890/1160 990/1200
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 Apr 1, 2025 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

VCM BGSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 4:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (100%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

VCM BGSU
Graduation Rate 45% 58%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $43,600
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $268

Diversity

VCM BGSU
% Men 43% 42%
% Women 57% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 78%
% Black 8% 10%
% Hispanic 21% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

VCM BGSU
% In-State 58% 88%
% Out-of-State 42% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (16,920 students vs. 263 students)

VCM vs. BGSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VCM or BGSU?

  • VanderCook College of Music is 145.5% more expensive to attend than BGSU for in-state tuition ($27,670.00 vs. $11,272.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39.4% higher at VCM than Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($27,670.00 vs. $19,845.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than BGSU ($12,436 vs. $20,485)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 67.8% lower than costs at Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($7,500 vs. $12,584)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music than Bowling Green State University Main Campus (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 213.4% larger than aid received Bowling Green State University Main Campus ($27,884 vs. $8,898)

VCM vs. BGSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 95 points higher than at BGSU (1012)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at BGSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman BGSU students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than BGSU (78.7%)

VCM vs. BGSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, VCM or BGSU? 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 BGSU and VCM.

  • The graduation rate at BGSU is higher than VanderCook College of Music (58% vs. 45%)
  • Bowling Green State University Main Campus students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than VCM graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • BGSU graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than VCM graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BGSU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 53%)

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