WestConn vs. URI

Should I go to Western Connecticut State University or University of Rhode Island? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WestConn or URI 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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Western Connecticut State University vs. University of Rhode Island comparison
Western Connecticut State University University of Rhode Island College 3 College 4
Western Connecticut State University University of Rhode Island
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Overview

WestConn URI
Location Danbury, CT Kingston, RI
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,417 17,473
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #466 #361
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcsu.edu uri.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WestConn URI
Tuition (In State) $6,464 $13,586
Tuition (Out of State) $19,358 $32,068
Room & Board $14,568 $13,584
Avg Net Price $15,862 $20,695
Avg Grant Aid $9,057 $13,257
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 97%

Admission

WestConn URI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,093 25,481
Admitted 4,253 19,465
Acceptance Rate 83.5% 76.4%
Enrolled % 14.8% 17.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.38 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/29 25/30
SAT Range 1010/1230 1050/1270
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

WestConn URI
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

WestConn URI
Graduation Rate 40% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,400 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,438
Median Loan Payment $258 $242

Diversity

WestConn URI
% Men 45% 42%
% Women 55% 58%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 61% 71%
% Black 12% 5%
% Hispanic 18% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 7%

Students

WestConn URI
% In-State 70% 40%
% Out-of-State 30% 59%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Rhode Island is larger than than WestConn based on total student enrollment (17,473 students vs. 4,417 students)

WestConn vs. URI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WestConn or URI?

  • University of Rhode Island is 110.2% more expensive to attend than WestConn for in-state tuition ($13,586.00 vs. $6,464.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 65.7% higher at URI than Western Connecticut State University ($32,068.00 vs. $19,358.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Connecticut State University than URI ($15,862 vs. $20,695)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Rhode Island are 7.2% lower than costs at Western Connecticut State University ($13,584 vs. $14,568)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Rhode Island than Western Connecticut State University (97% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Rhode Island students is 46.4% larger than aid received Western Connecticut State University ($13,257 vs. $9,057)

WestConn vs. URI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman URI students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at WestConn (3.38)
  • WestConn has a higher acceptance rate (83.5%) than URI (76.4%)

WestConn vs. URI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WestConn or URI? 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 URI and WestConn.

  • The graduation rate at URI is higher than Western Connecticut State University (63% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from University of Rhode Island earn on average $8,800 more per year than WestConn graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $47,400)
  • University of Rhode Island students graduate with a $1,562 lower median federal student loan debt than WestConn graduates. ($23,438 vs. $25,000)
  • URI graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than WestConn graduates. ($242 vs. $258)
  • More URI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WestConn students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 65%)

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