VCM vs. IU East

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

 VCM IU East
Location Chicago, IL Richmond, IN
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 263 3,039
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #855
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vandercook.edu iue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 VCM IU East
Tuition (In State) $27,670 $7,274
Tuition (Out of State) $27,670 $20,634
Room & Board $7,500 $9,412
Avg Net Price $12,436 $8,837
Avg Grant Aid $27,884 $7,874
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 93%

Admission

 VCM IU East
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22 1,586
Admitted 22 1,230
Acceptance Rate 100% 77.6%
Enrolled % 50% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.41
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 18/26
SAT Range 890/1160 960/1200
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 Aug 18, 2025

Academics

 VCM IU East
Student to Faculty Ratio 4:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (100%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Human Services (7%)

Outcomes

 VCM IU East
Graduation Rate 45% 19%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $32,900
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 40%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $211

Diversity

 VCM IU East
% Men 43% 35%
% Women 57% 65%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 87%
% Black 8% 4%
% Hispanic 21% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 VCM IU East
% In-State 58% 74%
% Out-of-State 42% 25%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Indiana University East is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (3,039 students vs. 263 students)

VCM vs. IU East Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VCM or IU East?

  • VanderCook College of Music is 280.4% more expensive to attend than IU East for in-state tuition ($27,670.00 vs. $7,274.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34.1% higher at VCM than Indiana University East ($27,670.00 vs. $20,634.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University East than VCM ($8,837 vs. $12,436)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 25.5% lower than costs at Indiana University East ($7,500 vs. $9,412)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music than Indiana University East (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 254.1% larger than aid received Indiana University East ($27,884 vs. $7,874)

VCM vs. IU East Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 146 points higher than at IU East (961)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at IU East (21)
  • Accepted freshman IU East students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than IU East (77.6%)

VCM vs. IU East Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, VCM or IU East? 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 IU East and VCM.

  • The graduation rate at VCM is higher than Indiana University East (45% vs. 19%)
  • Indiana University East students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than VCM graduates. ($20,500 vs. $27,000)
  • IU East graduates are paying $68 less per month on federal student loans than VCM graduates. ($211 vs. $279)
  • More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU East students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 40%)

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