VCM vs. WKU

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

VCM WKU
Location Chicago, IL Bowling Green, KY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 263 16,493
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #875
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vandercook.edu wku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

VCM WKU
Tuition (In State) $27,670 $11,112
Tuition (Out of State) $27,670 $27,000
Room & Board $7,500 $11,072
Avg Net Price $12,436 $12,625
Avg Grant Aid $27,884 $10,260
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

VCM WKU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22 7,505
Admitted 22 7,276
Acceptance Rate 100% 96.9%
Enrolled % 50% 37.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.42
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/20 18/25
SAT Range 890/1160 980/1170
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 WKU
Student to Faculty Ratio 4:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (100%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

VCM WKU
Graduation Rate 45% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $37,100
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $24,250
Median Loan Payment $279 $250

Diversity

VCM WKU
% Men 43% 37%
% Women 57% 63%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 76%
% Black 8% 10%
% Hispanic 21% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

VCM WKU
% In-State 58% 70%
% Out-of-State 42% 29%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Kentucky University is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (16,493 students vs. 263 students)

VCM vs. WKU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VCM or WKU?

  • VanderCook College of Music is 149% more expensive to attend than WKU for in-state tuition ($27,670.00 vs. $11,112.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.5% higher at VCM than Western Kentucky University ($27,670.00 vs. $27,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than WKU ($12,436 vs. $12,625)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 47.6% lower than costs at Western Kentucky University ($7,500 vs. $11,072)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music than Western Kentucky University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 171.8% larger than aid received Western Kentucky University ($27,884 vs. $10,260)

VCM vs. WKU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 60 points higher than at WKU (1047)
  • Incoming VCM students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WKU (23)
  • Accepted freshman WKU students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than WKU (96.9%)

VCM vs. WKU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WKU is higher than VanderCook College of Music (50% vs. 45%)
  • Western Kentucky University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than VCM graduates. ($24,250 vs. $27,000)
  • WKU graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than VCM graduates. ($250 vs. $279)
  • More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WKU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 47%)

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