University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) vs Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)

When it comes to higher education, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) stand out as two prominent institutions offering a wide range of academic programs and opportunities. While both universities share similarities in their commitment to academic excellence and student success, they also possess distinct characteristics that set them apart. This side-by-side comparison delves into the key differences between UAB and VCU, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Whether you're a prospective student seeking the best fit for your academic aspirations or a parent seeking insights into these esteemed universities, this comprehensive analysis will provide valuable information to aid your decision-making process.

	University of Alabama at Birmingham	Virginia Commonwealth University
Overview
Location	Birmingham, Alabama	Richmond, Virginia
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	84.0%	84.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	88.5%	92.8%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $50	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $70
SAT range	1173 - 1388	1070 - 1300
ACT range	23 - 30	20 - 29
Students submitting SAT score	7.0%	29.0%
Students submitting ACT score	65.0%	5.0%
Total number of applicants	11,906	17,579
Total number of admissions given out	10,541	16,308
Admitted students who chose to enroll	2,415	4,084
Yield rate	22.9%	25.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $27,630 Out of state: $39,462	In state: $36,861 Out of state: $58,199
Average net price	$16,990	$19,656
Tuition	In state: $8,568 Out of state: $20,400	In state: $12,094 Out of state: $32,742
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,767 Meal plan: $4,540	Room/dormitory: $6,953 Meal plan: $5,820
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	93.0% Average amount $10,940	78.0% Average amount $13,623
Students receiving federal student loan	46.0% Average amount $5,208	44.0% Average amount $5,174
Students taking out private loans	5.0% Average amount $14,247	8.0% Average amount $17,903

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	13,547 Men 37.9% Women 62.1%	21,394 Men 36.9% Women 63.1%
Graduate students	8,742 Men 34.1% Women 65.9%	7,200 Men 33.7% Women 66.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	16.8%	7.0%
International students	5.0%	3.6%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	3,480	5,958
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Alabama Georgia Tennessee Louisiana Florida	Virginia Maryland North Carolina New Jersey Pennsylvania

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Education Biological and Biomedical Sciences Engineering	Health Professions Visual & Performing Arts Business Public Administration and Social Service Multidisciplinary Studies
Students to faculty ratio	19:1	18:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	62.4%	67.6%
Dropout rate	16.5%	10.5%
Transferred out	17.9%	19.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: $158,993 Year 2: $169,894 Year 3: $175,573 Dentistry (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $100,128 Year 2: $111,769 Year 3: $139,245 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $117,171 Year 2: $130,034 Year 3: $128,873 Systems Science and Theory (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $67,948 Year 2: $122,038 Year 3: $123,089 Optometry (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $91,176 Year 2: $96,457 Year 3: $107,084 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $98,582 Year 2: $99,737 Year 3: $105,689 Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $89,298 Year 2: $89,564 Year 3: $99,770 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $91,552 Year 2: $95,215 Year 3: $98,530 Management Information Systems and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $78,497 Year 2: $84,653 Year 3: $94,486 Engineering, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $85,743 Year 2: $88,820 Year 3: $90,200	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $234,763 Year 3: $225,432 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $166,030 Year 2: $181,454 Year 3: $181,915 Dentistry (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $87,586 Year 2: $106,935 Year 3: $134,578 Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $101,582 Year 2: $119,256 Year 3: $121,903 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $94,371 Year 2: $93,178 Year 3: $105,544 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $94,094 Year 2: $93,467 Year 3: $97,893 Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $100,759 Year 2: $86,867 Year 3: $94,244 Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $73,726 Year 2: $82,440 Year 3: $90,664 Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $77,993 Year 2: $89,305 Year 3: $82,470 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $70,920 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $82,210

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