Youngstown State vs. WCU

Should I go to Youngstown State University or West Chester University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Youngstown State or WCU 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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Youngstown State University vs. West Chester University of Pennsylvania comparison
Youngstown State University West Chester University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
Youngstown State University West Chester University of Pennsylvania
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Overview

Youngstown State WCU
Location Youngstown, OH West Chester, PA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 11,040 17,076
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #971 #532
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ysu.edu wcupa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Youngstown State WCU
Tuition (In State) $10,723 $7,716
Tuition (Out of State) $11,083 $19,290
Room & Board $10,384 $12,474
Avg Net Price $11,740 $21,684
Avg Grant Aid $8,114 $5,503
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 70%

Admission

Youngstown State WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,799 16,467
Admitted 4,658 13,042
Acceptance Rate 80.3%Open 79.2%
Enrolled % 28.3%Open 23.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 24/28
SAT Range 940/1210 1100/1270
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 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

Youngstown State WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Engineering Technology (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)

Outcomes

Youngstown State WCU
Graduation Rate 35% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,700 $49,000
Making Student Loan Payments 36% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $242

Diversity

Youngstown State WCU
% Men 10% 5%
% Women 14% 11%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 78%
% Black 11% 11%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Youngstown State WCU
% In-State 72% 87%
% Out-of-State 15% 13%

Campus

Youngstown State WCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Youngstown State based on total student enrollment (17,076 students vs. 11,040 students)

Youngstown State vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Youngstown State or WCU?

  • Youngstown State University is 39% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($10,723.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 74.1% higher at WCU than Youngstown State University ($19,290.00 vs. $11,083.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Youngstown State University than WCU ($11,740 vs. $21,684)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Youngstown State University are 20.1% lower than costs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($10,384 vs. $12,474)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Youngstown State University than West Chester University of Pennsylvania (92% vs. 70%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Youngstown State University students is 47.4% larger than aid received West Chester University of Pennsylvania ($8,114 vs. $5,503)

Youngstown State vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Chester University of Pennsylvania (1072) is 91 points higher than at Youngstown State (981)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Youngstown State (21)
  • Accepted freshman Youngstown State students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at WCU (3.43)
  • Youngstown State has a higher acceptance rate (80.3%) than WCU (79.2%)

Youngstown State vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Youngstown State or WCU? 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 WCU and Youngstown State.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Youngstown State University (68% vs. 35%)
  • Graduates from West Chester University of Pennsylvania earn on average $11,300 more per year than Youngstown State graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $37,700)
  • West Chester University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Youngstown State graduates. ($23,500 vs. $27,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Youngstown State graduates. ($242 vs. $279)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Youngstown State students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 36%)

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