West Chester University of Pennsylvania (WCUPA) vs Dickinson College

West Chester University of Pennsylvania and Dickinson College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. West Chester, a public university, boasts an acceptance rate of 79%, while Dickinson, a private liberal arts college, maintains a more selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 34%. West Chester's diverse student body comprises over 17,000 undergraduates, while Dickinson fosters a close-knit community of approximately 2,300 undergraduates. In terms of academic offerings, West Chester excels in fields like business, education, and nursing, while Dickinson is renowned for its strengths in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Both universities boast impressive graduation rates, with West Chester reporting a four-year graduation rate of 58% and Dickinson achieving a four-year graduation rate of 86%. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve deeper into the unique characteristics of each institution and determine which best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Dickinson College logo

Dickinson College

West Chester University of Pennsylvania logo

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Overview

Location Carlisle, Pennsylvania West Chester, Pennsylvania
Campus setting City: Small Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 92.0% 85.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 48.1% 89.4%
Application fees $65
Undergraduate: $45

Graduate: $50
SAT range N/A 1070 - 1250
ACT range N/A 23 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 27.0%
Students submitting ACT score 1.0%
Total number of applicants 6,366 14,020
Total number of admissions given out 3,061 12,528
Admitted students who chose to enroll 677 2,628
Yield rate 22.1% 21.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $77,300
In state: $28,419

Out of state: $40,243
Average net price $20,913 $14,133
Tuition $58,158
In state: $7,716

Out of state: $19,290
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,866

Meal plan: $7,386
Room/dormitory: $5,794

Meal plan: $3,700
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

92.0%
Average amount $39,555
100.0%
Average amount $4,607
Students receiving federal student loan 41.0%
Average amount $3,696
51.0%
Average amount $5,238
Students taking out private loans 16.0%
Average amount $9,232
11.0%
Average amount $11,835

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,180
Men 42.1% Women 57.9%
14,471
Men 40.0% Women 60.0%
Graduate students 6
Men 33.3% Women 66.7%
3,143
Men 31.7% Women 68.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 11.4%
International students 12.3% 0.4%
Campus local/setting City: Small Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 2,118 5,128
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Pennsylvania New Jersey Delaware Maryland New York

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Social Sciences
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • Ethnic Studies
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 20:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 82.4% 72.8%
Dropout rate 17.6% 7.6%
Transferred out N/A 18.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
International Business (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,304
  • Year 2: $51,750
  • Year 3: $73,244
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,684
  • Year 2: $50,320
  • Year 3: $56,449
International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $48,823
  • Year 3: $55,723
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $49,550
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,461
  • Year 2: $30,409
  • Year 3: $48,836
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,322
  • Year 2: $40,737
  • Year 3: $43,711
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $43,177
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,473
  • Year 2: $28,598
  • Year 3: $42,465
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $40,634
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,617
  • Year 2: $28,598
  • Year 3: $38,644
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,514
  • Year 2: $91,211
  • Year 3: $102,513
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,034
  • Year 2: $70,863
  • Year 3: $83,078
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,346
  • Year 2: $66,653
  • Year 3: $74,076
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,184
  • Year 2: $59,253
  • Year 3: $67,374
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,978
  • Year 2: $57,589
  • Year 3: $65,537
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,367
  • Year 2: $53,508
  • Year 3: $61,456
Business/Managerial Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,396
  • Year 2: $50,856
  • Year 3: $58,904
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $53,608
  • Year 3: $57,532
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,096
  • Year 2: $58,402
  • Year 3: $56,740
Music (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $56,355

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