WUSTL vs. Vanderbilt

Should I go to Washington University in St Louis or Vanderbilt University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WUSTL or Vanderbilt 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 University in St Louis vs. Vanderbilt University comparison
Washington University in St Louis Vanderbilt University College 3 College 4
Washington University in St Louis Vanderbilt University
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Overview

WUSTL Vanderbilt
Location Saint Louis, MO Nashville, TN
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 17,012 13,710
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #20 #14
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wustl.edu vanderbilt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WUSTL Vanderbilt
Tuition (In State) $59,420 $58,130
Tuition (Out of State) $59,420 $58,130
Room & Board $18,470 $19,862
Avg Net Price $23,432 $25,606
Avg Grant Aid $58,188 $53,932
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 65%

Admission

WUSTL Vanderbilt
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 32,014 46,377
Admitted 3,764 3,093
Acceptance Rate 11.8% 6.7%
Enrolled % 48.2% 52.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 33/35 34/35
SAT Range 1500/1570 1490/1570
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 4, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

WUSTL Vanderbilt
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

WUSTL Vanderbilt
Graduation Rate 93% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,800 $83,100
Making Student Loan Payments 88% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,900 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $205 $144

Diversity

WUSTL Vanderbilt
% Men 47% 44%
% Women 53% 56%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 55%
% Black 6% 8%
% Hispanic 7% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 8% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

WUSTL Vanderbilt
% In-State 12% 9%
% Out-of-State 77% 79%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Washington University in St Louis is larger than than Vanderbilt based on total student enrollment (17,012 students vs. 13,710 students)

WUSTL vs. Vanderbilt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WUSTL or Vanderbilt?

  • Washington University in St Louis is 2.2% more expensive to attend than Vanderbilt for in-state tuition ($59,420.00 vs. $58,130.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.2% higher at WUSTL than Vanderbilt University ($59,420.00 vs. $58,130.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Washington University in St Louis than Vanderbilt ($23,432 vs. $25,606)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Washington University in St Louis are 7.5% lower than costs at Vanderbilt University ($18,470 vs. $19,862)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Vanderbilt University than Washington University in St Louis (65% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington University in St Louis students is 7.9% larger than aid received Vanderbilt University ($58,188 vs. $53,932)

WUSTL vs. Vanderbilt Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Vanderbilt University (1498) is 29 points higher than at WUSTL (1469)
  • Incoming Vanderbilt students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at WUSTL (33)
  • Accepted freshman WUSTL students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Vanderbilt (3.89)
  • WUSTL has a higher acceptance rate (11.8%) than Vanderbilt (6.7%)

WUSTL vs. Vanderbilt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WUSTL or Vanderbilt? 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 Vanderbilt and WUSTL .

  • The graduation rate at WUSTL is higher than Vanderbilt University (93% vs. 92%)
  • Graduates from Vanderbilt University earn on average $300 more per year than WUSTL graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $82,800)
  • Vanderbilt University students graduate with a $5,900 lower median federal student loan debt than WUSTL graduates. ($14,000 vs. $19,900)
  • Vanderbilt graduates are paying $61 less per month on federal student loans than WUSTL graduates. ($144 vs. $205)
  • More WUSTL graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Vanderbilt students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 83%)

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