Widener University-Main Campus vs. VCU

Should I go to Widener University Main Campus or Virginia Commonwealth University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Widener University-Main Campus 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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Widener University Main Campus vs. Virginia Commonwealth University comparison
Widener University Main Campus Virginia Commonwealth University College 3 College 4
Widener University Main Campus Virginia Commonwealth University
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Overview

 Widener University-Main Campus VCU
Location Chester, PA Richmond, VA
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 5,416 28,082
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #364 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website widener.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Widener University-Main Campus VCU
Tuition (In State) $50,624 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $50,624 $33,726
Room & Board $15,200 $12,279
Avg Net Price $32,185 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $32,412 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 83%

Admission

 Widener University-Main Campus VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,961 18,242
Admitted 5,227 16,600
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 91%
Enrolled % 10.3% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.46 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/29 22/30
SAT Range 1105/1290 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

 Widener University-Main Campus VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (28%)
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

 Widener University-Main Campus VCU
Graduation Rate 54% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $279 $240

Diversity

 Widener University-Main Campus VCU
% Men 34% 36%
% Women 66% 64%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 70% 50%
% Black 13% 18%
% Hispanic 5% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 6%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 Widener University-Main Campus VCU
% In-State 61% 92%
% Out-of-State 38% 6%

Campus

 Widener University-Main Campus VCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than than Widener University-Main Campus based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 5,416 students)

Widener University-Main Campus vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Widener University-Main Campus or VCU?

  • Widener University Main Campus is 306.4% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($50,624.00 vs. $12,458.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 50.1% higher at Widener University-Main Campus than Virginia Commonwealth University ($50,624.00 vs. $33,726.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Commonwealth University than Widener University-Main Campus ($21,294 vs. $32,185)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 23.8% lower than costs at Widener University Main Campus ($12,279 vs. $15,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Widener University Main Campus than Virginia Commonwealth University (97% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Widener University Main Campus students is 157.6% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($32,412 vs. $12,583)

Widener University-Main Campus vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 65 points higher than at Widener University-Main Campus (1032)
  • Incoming VCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Widener University-Main Campus (23)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Widener University-Main Campus (3.46)
  • VCU has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than Widener University-Main Campus (87.7%)

Widener University-Main Campus vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Widener University-Main Campus 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 Widener University-Main Campus.

  • The graduation rate at Widener University-Main Campus is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (54% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Widener University Main Campus earn on average $12,000 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $47,500)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Widener University-Main Campus graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
  • VCU graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Widener University-Main Campus graduates. ($240 vs. $279)
  • More Widener University-Main Campus graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 56%)

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