VCM vs. LRC

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

 VCM LRC
Location Chicago, IL Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 263 2,068
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #796
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vandercook.edu laroche.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 VCM LRC
Tuition (In State) $27,670 $31,334
Tuition (Out of State) $27,670 $31,334
Room & Board $7,500 $12,886
Avg Net Price $12,436 $24,233
Avg Grant Aid $27,884 $20,948
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

 VCM LRC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22 3,222
Admitted 22 3,137
Acceptance Rate 100% 97.4%
Enrolled % 50% 4.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.2
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 20/26
SAT Range 890/1160 970/1170
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 VCM LRC
Student to Faculty Ratio 4:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (100%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 VCM LRC
Graduation Rate 45% 51%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $44,300
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $268

Diversity

 VCM LRC
% Men 43% 37%
% Women 57% 63%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 62%
% Black 8% 8%
% Hispanic 21% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 2% 16%
% Unknown Race 2% 8%

Students

 VCM LRC
% In-State 58% 75%
% Out-of-State 42% 5%

Campus

 VCM LRC
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

  • La Roche College is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (2,068 students vs. 263 students)

VCM vs. LRC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VCM or LRC?

  • La Roche College is 13.2% more expensive to attend than VCM for in-state tuition ($31,334.00 vs. $27,670.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.2% higher at LRC than VanderCook College of Music ($31,334.00 vs. $27,670.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than LRC ($12,436 vs. $24,233)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 71.8% lower than costs at La Roche College ($7,500 vs. $12,886)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music than La Roche College (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 33.1% larger than aid received La Roche College ($27,884 vs. $20,948)

VCM vs. LRC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 168 points higher than at LRC (939)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at LRC (20)
  • Accepted freshman LRC students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.2) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than LRC (97.4%)

VCM vs. LRC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at LRC is higher than VanderCook College of Music (51% vs. 45%)
  • La Roche College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than VCM graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • LRC 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 LRC students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 62%)

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