WestConn vs. VCU

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

 WestConn VCU
Location Danbury, CT Richmond, VA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 4,417 28,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #466 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcsu.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WestConn VCU
Tuition (In State) $6,464 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $19,358 $33,726
Room & Board $14,568 $12,279
Avg Net Price $15,862 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $9,057 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 83%

Admission

 WestConn VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,093 18,242
Admitted 4,253 16,600
Acceptance Rate 83.5% 91%
Enrolled % 14.8% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.38 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/29 22/30
SAT Range 1010/1230 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

 WestConn VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 WestConn VCU
Graduation Rate 40% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,400 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $258 $240

Diversity

 WestConn VCU
% Men 45% 36%
% Women 55% 64%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 61% 50%
% Black 12% 18%
% Hispanic 18% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 6%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 WestConn VCU
% In-State 70% 92%
% Out-of-State 30% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than WestConn based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 4,417 students)

WestConn vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WestConn or VCU?

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is 92.7% more expensive to attend than WestConn for in-state tuition ($12,458.00 vs. $6,464.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 74.2% higher at VCU than Western Connecticut State University ($33,726.00 vs. $19,358.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Connecticut State University than VCU ($15,862 vs. $21,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 18.6% lower than costs at Western Connecticut State University ($12,279 vs. $14,568)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than Western Connecticut State University (83% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 38.9% larger than aid received Western Connecticut State University ($12,583 vs. $9,057)

WestConn vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at WestConn (3.38)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than WestConn (83.5%)

WestConn vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WestConn 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 WestConn.

  • The graduation rate at VCU is higher than Western Connecticut State University (53% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Commonwealth University earn on average $100 more per year than WestConn graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $47,400)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than WestConn graduates. ($23,250 vs. $25,000)
  • VCU graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than WestConn graduates. ($240 vs. $258)
  • More WestConn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 56%)

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