W&J vs. VCU

Should I go to Washington & Jefferson College or Virginia Commonwealth University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if W&J or VCU 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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Washington & Jefferson College vs. Virginia Commonwealth University comparison
Washington & Jefferson College Virginia Commonwealth University College 3 College 4
Washington & Jefferson College Virginia Commonwealth University
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Overview

W&J VCU
Location Washington, PA Richmond, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 1,151 28,082
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #264 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website washjeff.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

W&J VCU
Tuition (In State) $49,612 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $49,612 $33,726
Room & Board $13,524 $12,279
Avg Net Price $25,636 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $38,963 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 83%

Admission

W&J VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,414 18,242
Admitted 3,007 16,600
Acceptance Rate 88.1% 91%
Enrolled % 11.6% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/28 22/30
SAT Range 1010/1250 1030/1290
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 Jan 18, 2025

Academics

W&J VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

W&J VCU
Graduation Rate 74% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $279 $240

Diversity

W&J VCU
% Men 52% 36%
% Women 48% 64%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 81% 50%
% Black 5% 18%
% Hispanic 4% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

W&J VCU
% In-State 72% 92%
% Out-of-State 28% 6%

Campus

W&J VCU
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

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than W&J based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 1,151 students)

W&J vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, W&J or VCU?

  • Washington & Jefferson College is 298.2% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($49,612.00 vs. $12,458.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.1% higher at W&J than Virginia Commonwealth University ($49,612.00 vs. $33,726.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Commonwealth University than W&J ($21,294 vs. $25,636)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 10.1% lower than costs at Washington & Jefferson College ($12,279 vs. $13,524)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Washington & Jefferson College than Virginia Commonwealth University (100% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington & Jefferson College students is 209.6% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($38,963 vs. $12,583)

W&J vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at W&J (3.54)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than W&J (88.1%)

W&J vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, W&J or VCU? 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 VCU and W&J.

  • The graduation rate at W&J is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (74% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Washington & Jefferson College earn on average $9,400 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $47,500)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than W&J graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
  • VCU graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than W&J graduates. ($240 vs. $279)
  • More W&J graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 56%)

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