Wheaton College vs. Union College

Should I go to Wheaton College or Union College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Wheaton College or Union College 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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Wheaton College vs. Union College comparison
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Wheaton College Union College
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Overview

Wheaton College Union College
Location Wheaton, IL Schenectady, NY
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 2,799 2,082
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #156 #87
Religious Affiliation Undenominational - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wheaton.edu union.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wheaton College Union College
Tuition (In State) $43,670 $66,105
Tuition (Out of State) $43,670 $66,105
Room & Board $12,390 $16,389
Avg Net Price $31,346 $42,884
Avg Grant Aid $25,196 $38,751
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 94%

Admission

Wheaton College Union College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,866 9,295
Admitted 1,679 4,070
Acceptance Rate 90% 43.8%
Enrolled % 32.9% 13.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32 30/33
SAT Range 1260/1440 1310/1480
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 Aug 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

Wheaton College Union College
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

Wheaton College Union College
Graduation Rate 87% 86%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,300 $74,200
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $279

Diversity

Wheaton College Union College
% Men 10% 0%
% Women 14% 1%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 73%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Wheaton College Union College
% In-State 21% 28%
% Out-of-State 54% 63%

Campus

Wheaton College Union College
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Wheaton College is larger than than Union College based on total student enrollment (2,799 students vs. 2,082 students)

Wheaton College vs. Union College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wheaton College or Union College?

  • Union College is 51.4% more expensive to attend than Wheaton College for in-state tuition ($66,105.00 vs. $43,670.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 51.4% higher at Union College than Wheaton College ($66,105.00 vs. $43,670.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wheaton College than Union College ($31,346 vs. $42,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wheaton College are 32.3% lower than costs at Union College ($12,390 vs. $16,389)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College than Union College (98% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Union College students is 53.8% larger than aid received Wheaton College ($38,751 vs. $25,196)

Wheaton College vs. Union College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Union College (3.5)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than Union College (43.8%)

Wheaton College vs. Union College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wheaton College or Union College? 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 Union College and Wheaton College.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than Union College (87% vs. 86%)
  • Graduates from Union College earn on average $19,900 more per year than Wheaton College graduates after ten years. ($74,200 vs. $54,300)
  • Wheaton College students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Union College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Wheaton College graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than Union College graduates. ($232 vs. $279)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Union College students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 86%)

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