West Chester University of Pennsylvania (WCUPA) vs Drexel University

West Chester University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in Pennsylvania, offer distinct educational experiences. West Chester, a public university with a 79% acceptance rate, boasts a diverse student body and excels in liberal arts and education programs. Drexel, a private research university with a 72% acceptance rate, emphasizes experiential learning through its renowned co-op program and is known for its engineering, business, and health sciences programs. While both universities offer a vibrant campus life, West Chester's 17,000-student population creates a close-knit community, while Drexel's 25,000-student body fosters a more urban and diverse atmosphere. With graduation rates of 62% and 84% respectively, these universities provide varying levels of academic rigor and support. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Drexel University logo

Drexel University

West Chester University of Pennsylvania logo

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Overview

Location Philadelphia, Pennsylvania West Chester, Pennsylvania
Campus setting City: Large Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Quarter Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 90.0% 85.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 82.6% 89.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $65
Undergraduate: $45

Graduate: $50
SAT range 1210 - 1410 1070 - 1250
ACT range 26 - 32 23 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 37.0% 27.0%
Students submitting ACT score 9.0% 1.0%
Total number of applicants 34,519 14,020
Total number of admissions given out 28,522 12,528
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,854 2,628
Yield rate 10.0% 21.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $77,478
In state: $28,419

Out of state: $40,243
Average net price $26,076 $14,133
Tuition $54,766
In state: $7,716

Out of state: $19,290
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $10,320

Meal plan: $6,168
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)

100.0%
Average amount $33,241
100.0%
Average amount $4,607
Students receiving federal student loan 61.0%
Average amount $5,326
51.0%
Average amount $5,238
Students taking out private loans 11.0%
Average amount $25,237
11.0%
Average amount $11,835

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 14,413
Men 51.2% Women 48.8%
14,471
Men 40.0% Women 60.0%
Graduate students 8,803
Men 36.1% Women 63.9%
3,143
Men 31.7% Women 68.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 50.5% 11.4%
International students 9.2% 0.4%
Campus local/setting City: Large Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 3,667 5,128
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Pennsylvania New Jersey New York Maryland California Pennsylvania New Jersey Delaware Maryland New York

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Public Administration and Social Service
Students to faculty ratio 10:1 20:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 78.2% 72.8%
Dropout rate 21.1% 7.6%
Transferred out N/A 18.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $106,513
  • Year 2: $101,964
  • Year 3: $119,120
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $103,960
  • Year 2: $111,501
  • Year 3: $117,719
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,740
  • Year 2: $97,737
  • Year 3: $113,456
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,372
  • Year 2: $99,516
  • Year 3: $111,283
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,146
  • Year 2: $102,258
  • Year 3: $105,288
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,747
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $103,890
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $122,646
  • Year 2: $88,448
  • Year 3: $103,671
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $85,245
  • Year 2: $95,473
  • Year 3: $99,676
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,985
  • Year 2: $93,520
  • Year 3: $96,267
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,020
  • Year 2: $92,632
  • Year 3: $95,367
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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