WCU vs. Old Dominion

Should I go to West Chester University of Pennsylvania or Old Dominion University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WCU or Old Dominion 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
West Chester University of Pennsylvania vs. Old Dominion University comparison
West Chester University of Pennsylvania Old Dominion University College 3 College 4
West Chester University of Pennsylvania Old Dominion University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

WCU Old Dominion
Location West Chester, PA Norfolk, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 17,275 23,107
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #496 #624
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcupa.edu odu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WCU Old Dominion
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $7,239
Tuition (Out of State) $19,290 $26,664
Room & Board $14,228 $13,480
Avg Net Price $22,973 $16,098
Avg Grant Aid $5,443 $9,058
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 92%

Admission

WCU Old Dominion
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,778 14,435
Admitted 12,982 13,734
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 95.1%
Enrolled % 23.2% 22.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.43 3.3
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/30 22/27
SAT Range 1080/1260 1090/1250
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025

Academics

WCU Old Dominion
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

WCU Old Dominion
Graduation Rate 68% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $47,600
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $242 $242

Diversity

WCU Old Dominion
% Men 39% 44%
% Women 61% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 78% 47%
% Black 11% 27%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 6%

Students

WCU Old Dominion
% In-State 87% 90%
% Out-of-State 12% 7%

Campus

WCU Old Dominion
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Old Dominion University is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (23,107 students vs. 17,275 students)

WCU vs. Old Dominion Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or Old Dominion?

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is 6.6% more expensive to attend than Old Dominion for in-state tuition ($7,716.00 vs. $7,239.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38.2% higher at Old Dominion than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($26,664.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Old Dominion University than WCU ($16,098 vs. $22,973)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Old Dominion University are 5.5% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($13,480 vs. $14,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Old Dominion University than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (92% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Old Dominion University students is 66.4% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($9,058 vs. $5,443)

WCU vs. Old Dominion Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 52 points higher than at Old Dominion (1020)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Old Dominion (21)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at Old Dominion (3.3)
  • Old Dominion has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than WCU (87.8%)

WCU vs. Old Dominion Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WCU or Old Dominion? 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 Old Dominion and WCU.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Old Dominion University (68% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $1,400 more per year than Old Dominion graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $47,600)
  • Old Dominion University and WCU graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($23,500 vs. $23,500)
  • Old Dominion University and WCU graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($242 vs. $242)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Old Dominion students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 53%)

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