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CMU GVSU Oakland WSU Michigan State ISU Eastern Michigan University Northern Illinois Michigan Tech Michigan UM-Dearborn Ferris State University| VanderCook College of Music | Western Michigan University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
VCM | WMU | ||
| Location | Chicago, IL | Kalamazoo, MI | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 263 | 17,000 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #634 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | vandercook.edu | wmich.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
VCM | WMU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $27,670 | $14,523 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $27,670 | $18,154 | ||
| Room & Board | $7,500 | $11,102 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,436 | $20,030 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $27,884 | $6,813 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 93% |
Admission |
VCM | WMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 22 | 20,501 | ||
| Admitted | 22 | 17,334 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 100% | 84.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 50% | 15.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.1 | 3.5 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 15/20 | 19/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 890/1160 | 990/1220 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
VCM | WMU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 4:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
VCM | WMU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 45% | 56% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | N/A | $48,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 66% | 54% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $26,633 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $275 |
Diversity |
VCM | WMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 43% | 47% | ||
| % Women | 57% | 53% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 62% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 12% | ||
| % Hispanic | 21% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
VCM | WMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 58% | 79% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 42% | 19% | ||
Campus |
VCM | WMU | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Western Michigan University is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (17,000 students vs. 263 students)
VCM vs. WMU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, VCM or WMU?
- VanderCook College of Music is 90.5% more expensive to attend than WMU for in-state tuition ($27,670.00 vs. $14,523.00)
- Out of state tuition is 52.4% higher at VCM than Western Michigan University ($27,670.00 vs. $18,154.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than WMU ($12,436 vs. $20,030)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 48% lower than costs at Western Michigan University ($7,500 vs. $11,102)
- More students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music than Western Michigan University (100% vs. 93%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 309.3% larger than aid received Western Michigan University ($27,884 vs. $6,813)
VCM vs. WMU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, VCM or WMU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WMU or VCM .
- The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 77 points higher than at WMU (1030)
- Incoming VCM students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WMU (22)
- Accepted freshman WMU students have a 0.4 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at VCM (3.1)
- VCM has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than WMU (84.6%)
VCM vs. WMU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, VCM or WMU? 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 WMU and VCM.
- The graduation rate at WMU is higher than VanderCook College of Music (56% vs. 45%)
- Western Michigan University students graduate with a $367 lower median federal student loan debt than VCM graduates. ($26,633 vs. $27,000)
- WMU graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than VCM graduates. ($275 vs. $279)
- More VCM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WMU 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/