Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Eastern Murray State University Kentucky Louisville UTC NKU University of Southern Indiana Middle Tennessee State University Austin Peay State University KSU University of Missouri-St Louis ETSU| VanderCook College of Music | Western Kentucky University | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
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 |
|
|
||
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/