VCM vs. Western Illinois University

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

VCM Western Illinois University
Location Chicago, IL Macomb, IL
Setting Large City Remote Town
Enrollment 263 7,643
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #579
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vandercook.edu wiu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

VCM Western Illinois University
Tuition (In State) $27,670 $9,515
Tuition (Out of State) $27,670 $9,515
Room & Board $7,500 $10,500
Avg Net Price $12,436 $11,213
Avg Grant Aid $27,884 $15,632
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

VCM Western Illinois University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22 9,219
Admitted 22 6,914
Acceptance Rate 100% 75%
Enrolled % 50% 15.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.45
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 18/24
SAT Range 890/1160 880/1090
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025

Academics

VCM Western Illinois University
Student to Faculty Ratio 4:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (100%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

VCM Western Illinois University
Graduation Rate 45% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $46,000
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $24,704
Median Loan Payment $279 $255

Diversity

VCM Western Illinois University
% Men 43% 43%
% Women 57% 57%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 62% 62%
% Black 8% 19%
% Hispanic 21% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

VCM Western Illinois University
% In-State 58% 89%
% Out-of-State 42% 10%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Illinois University is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (7,643 students vs. 263 students)

VCM vs. Western Illinois University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VCM or Western Illinois University?

  • VanderCook College of Music is 190.8% more expensive to attend than Western Illinois University for in-state tuition ($27,670.00 vs. $9,515.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 190.8% higher at VCM than Western Illinois University ($27,670.00 vs. $9,515.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Illinois University than VCM ($11,213 vs. $12,436)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 40% lower than costs at Western Illinois University ($7,500 vs. $10,500)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music than Western Illinois University (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 78.4% larger than aid received Western Illinois University ($27,884 vs. $15,632)

VCM vs. Western Illinois University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 137 points higher than at Western Illinois University (970)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Western Illinois University (21)
  • Accepted freshman Western Illinois University students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than Western Illinois University (75%)

VCM vs. Western Illinois University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, VCM or Western Illinois University? 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 Western Illinois University and VCM.

  • The graduation rate at Western Illinois University is higher than VanderCook College of Music (53% vs. 45%)
  • Western Illinois University students graduate with a $2,296 lower median federal student loan debt than VCM graduates. ($24,704 vs. $27,000)
  • Western Illinois University graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than VCM graduates. ($255 vs. $279)
  • More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Western Illinois University students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 61%)

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