VCM vs. IU Northwest

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

VCM IU Northwest
Location Chicago, IL Gary, IN
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 263 3,198
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #882
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vandercook.edu iun.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

VCM IU Northwest
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 $6,553
Avg Grant Aid $27,884 $8,754
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 80%

Admission

VCM IU Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22 1,915
Admitted 22 1,538
Acceptance Rate 100% 80.3%
Enrolled % 50% 27.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.14
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 20/25
SAT Range 890/1160 950/1170
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 IU Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 4:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (100%)
  • Health Professions (33%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

VCM IU Northwest
Graduation Rate 45% 23%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $39,500
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,030
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

VCM IU Northwest
% Men 43% 25%
% Women 57% 75%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 55%
% Black 8% 18%
% Hispanic 21% 20%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

VCM IU Northwest
% In-State 58% 97%
% Out-of-State 42% 2%

Campus

VCM IU Northwest
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 Northwest is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (3,198 students vs. 263 students)

VCM vs. IU Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VCM or IU Northwest?

  • VanderCook College of Music is 280.4% more expensive to attend than IU Northwest for in-state tuition ($27,670.00 vs. $7,274.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34.1% higher at VCM than Indiana University Northwest ($27,670.00 vs. $20,634.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Northwest than VCM ($6,553 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 Northwest ($7,500 vs. $9,412)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music than Indiana University Northwest (100% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 218.5% larger than aid received Indiana University Northwest ($27,884 vs. $8,754)

VCM vs. IU Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 179 points higher than at IU Northwest (928)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at IU Northwest (20)
  • Accepted freshman IU Northwest students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.14) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than IU Northwest (80.3%)

VCM vs. IU Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at VCM is higher than Indiana University Northwest (45% vs. 23%)
  • Indiana University Northwest students graduate with a $1,970 lower median federal student loan debt than VCM graduates. ($25,030 vs. $27,000)
  • IU Northwest graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than VCM graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU Northwest students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 33%)

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