Wilkes vs. VCU

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

Wilkes VCU
Location Wilkes-Barre, PA Richmond, VA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 5,207 28,082
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #478 #442
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wilkes.edu vcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Wilkes VCU
Tuition (In State) $39,134 $12,458
Tuition (Out of State) $39,134 $33,726
Room & Board $15,850 $12,279
Avg Net Price $27,918 $21,294
Avg Grant Aid $29,441 $12,583
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 83%

Admission

Wilkes VCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,798 18,242
Admitted 4,517 16,600
Acceptance Rate 94.1% 91%
Enrolled % 10.6% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/26 22/30
SAT Range 1060/1260 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

Wilkes VCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (13%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)

Outcomes

Wilkes VCU
Graduation Rate 58% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,200 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $268 $240

Diversity

Wilkes VCU
% Men 31% 36%
% Women 69% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 73% 50%
% Black 4% 18%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 9% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Wilkes VCU
% In-State 75% 92%
% Out-of-State 24% 6%

Campus

Wilkes 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 Wilkes based on total student enrollment (28,082 students vs. 5,207 students)

Wilkes vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Wilkes or VCU?

  • Wilkes University is 214.1% more expensive to attend than VCU for in-state tuition ($39,134.00 vs. $12,458.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16% higher at Wilkes than Virginia Commonwealth University ($39,134.00 vs. $33,726.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Commonwealth University than Wilkes ($21,294 vs. $27,918)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 29.1% lower than costs at Wilkes University ($12,279 vs. $15,850)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wilkes University than Virginia Commonwealth University (97% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wilkes University students is 134% larger than aid received Virginia Commonwealth University ($29,441 vs. $12,583)

Wilkes vs. VCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Commonwealth University (1097) is 44 points higher than at Wilkes (1053)
  • Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at Wilkes (3.56)
  • Wilkes has a higher acceptance rate (94.1%) than VCU (91%)

Wilkes vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Wilkes 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 Wilkes.

  • The graduation rate at Wilkes is higher than Virginia Commonwealth University (58% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Wilkes University earn on average $10,700 more per year than VCU graduates after ten years. ($58,200 vs. $47,500)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Wilkes graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,000)
  • VCU graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Wilkes graduates. ($240 vs. $268)
  • More Wilkes graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 56%)

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