VCM vs. KWC

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

VCM KWC
Location Chicago, IL Owensboro, KY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 340 834
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vandercook.edu kwc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

VCM KWC
Tuition (In State) $28,640 $31,900
Tuition (Out of State) $28,640 $31,900
Room & Board $7,500 $11,526
Avg Net Price $16,601 $20,867
Avg Grant Aid $22,249 $22,561
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

VCM KWC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 37 2,009
Admitted 36 1,346
Acceptance Rate 97.3% 67%
Enrolled % 47.2% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.3
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/20 12/24
SAT Range 890/1160 750/1130
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, 2026

Academics

VCM KWC
Student to Faculty Ratio 4:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (100%)
  • Education (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

VCM KWC
Graduation Rate 45% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $38,500
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,907
Median Loan Payment $279 $236

Diversity

VCM KWC
% Men 32% 3%
% Women 39% 2%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 73%
% Black 8% 15%
% Hispanic 21% 1%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 9%

Students

VCM KWC
% In-State 58% 71%
% Out-of-State 42% 29%

Campus

VCM KWC
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

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (834 students vs. 340 students)

VCM vs. KWC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VCM or KWC?

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is 11.4% more expensive to attend than VCM for in-state tuition ($31,900.00 vs. $28,640.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.4% higher at KWC than VanderCook College of Music ($31,900.00 vs. $28,640.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than KWC ($16,601 vs. $20,867)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 53.7% lower than costs at Kentucky Wesleyan College ($7,500 vs. $11,526)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music as Kentucky Wesleyan College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kentucky Wesleyan College students is 1.4% larger than aid received VanderCook College of Music ($22,561 vs. $22,249)

VCM vs. KWC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 59 points higher than at KWC (1048)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at KWC (23)
  • Accepted freshman KWC students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than KWC (67%)

VCM vs. KWC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at VCM is higher than Kentucky Wesleyan College (45% vs. 44%)
  • Kentucky Wesleyan College students graduate with a $4,093 lower median federal student loan debt than VCM graduates. ($22,907 vs. $27,000)
  • KWC graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than VCM graduates. ($236 vs. $279)
  • More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KWC 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/