WCU vs. VMI

Should I go to West Chester University of Pennsylvania or Virginia Military Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WCU or VMI 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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West Chester University of Pennsylvania vs. Virginia Military Institute comparison
West Chester University of Pennsylvania Virginia Military Institute College 3 College 4
West Chester University of Pennsylvania Virginia Military Institute
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Overview

 WCU VMI
Location West Chester, PA Lexington, VA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Rural
Enrollment 17,275 1,512
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #496 #150
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcupa.edu vmi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WCU VMI
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $9,782
Tuition (Out of State) $19,290 $39,590
Room & Board $14,228 $10,674
Avg Net Price $22,973 $18,129
Avg Grant Aid $5,443 $19,111
% Receiving Grant Aid 64% 69%

Admission

 WCU VMI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,778 1,192
Admitted 12,982 847
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 71.1%
Enrolled % 23.2% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.43 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/30 22/29
SAT Range 1080/1260 1105/1300
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 WCU VMI
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • History (14%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

 WCU VMI
Graduation Rate 68% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $242 $258

Diversity

 WCU VMI
% Men 39% 87%
% Women 61% 13%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 80%
% Black 11% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

 WCU VMI
% In-State 87% 63%
% Out-of-State 12% 35%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than VMI based on total student enrollment (17,275 students vs. 1,512 students)

WCU vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or VMI?

  • Virginia Military Institute is 26.8% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($9,782.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 105.2% higher at VMI than West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($39,590.00 vs. $19,290.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than WCU ($18,129 vs. $22,973)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 33.3% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($10,674 vs. $14,228)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Military Institute than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (69% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 251.1% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($19,111 vs. $5,443)

WCU vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Military Institute (1139) is 67 points higher than at WCU (1072)
  • Incoming VMI students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WCU (24)
  • Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at WCU (3.43)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than VMI (71.1%)

WCU vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WCU or VMI? 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 VMI and WCU.

  • The graduation rate at VMI is higher than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (69% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $13,100 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $49,000)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than VMI graduates. ($23,500 vs. $25,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than VMI graduates. ($242 vs. $258)
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 75%)

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