VCM vs. CMU

Should I go to VanderCook College of Music or Central Michigan University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if VCM or CMU 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. Central Michigan University comparison
VanderCook College of Music Central Michigan University College 3 College 4
Central Michigan University
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Overview

VCM CMU
Location Chicago, IL Mount Pleasant, MI
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 263 14,557
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #715
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vandercook.edu cmich.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

VCM CMU
Tuition (In State) $27,670 $13,200
Tuition (Out of State) $27,670 $13,200
Room & Board $7,500 $11,248
Avg Net Price $12,436 $15,605
Avg Grant Aid $27,884 $11,314
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

VCM CMU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22 19,888
Admitted 22 15,701
Acceptance Rate 100% 78.9%
Enrolled % 50% 12.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.47
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 21/27
SAT Range 890/1160 980/1220
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

Academics

VCM CMU
Student to Faculty Ratio 4:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (100%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

VCM CMU
Graduation Rate 45% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $44,500
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

VCM CMU
% Men 43% 40%
% Women 57% 60%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 79%
% Black 8% 8%
% Hispanic 21% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

VCM CMU
% In-State 58% 90%
% Out-of-State 42% 9%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Central Michigan University is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (14,557 students vs. 263 students)

VCM vs. CMU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VCM or CMU?

  • VanderCook College of Music is 109.6% more expensive to attend than CMU for in-state tuition ($27,670.00 vs. $13,200.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 109.6% higher at VCM than Central Michigan University ($27,670.00 vs. $13,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than CMU ($12,436 vs. $15,605)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 50% lower than costs at Central Michigan University ($7,500 vs. $11,248)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music than Central Michigan University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 146.5% larger than aid received Central Michigan University ($27,884 vs. $11,314)

VCM vs. CMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 58 points higher than at CMU (1049)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at CMU (23)
  • Accepted freshman CMU students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.47) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than CMU (78.9%)

VCM vs. CMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at CMU is higher than VanderCook College of Music (54% vs. 45%)
  • Central Michigan University and VCM graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Central Michigan University and VCM graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CMU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 54%)

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