West Chester University of Pennsylvania (WCUPA) vs Villanova University
West Chester University of Pennsylvania and Villanova University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in Pennsylvania, offer distinct educational experiences. West Chester, a public university, boasts an acceptance rate of 79%, while Villanova, a private university, has a more selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 34%. West Chester's diverse student body comprises over 17,000 undergraduates, while Villanova's more intimate community consists of approximately 6,500 undergraduates. Both universities excel in academics, with popular majors ranging from business and nursing to engineering and education. However, Villanova's higher graduation rate of 89% compared to West Chester's 62% indicates a stronger focus on student success. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
|
|
Villanova University |
West Chester University of Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
Overview |
||
| Location | Villanova, Pennsylvania | West Chester, Pennsylvania |
| Campus setting | Suburb: Large | 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 | 96.0% | 85.0% |
Common app member
|
Yes | Yes |
| Religious affiliation | Catholic | |
|
|
||
Admission |
||
| Acceptance rate | 25.2% | 89.4% |
| Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$80
Graduate:
$50
|
Undergraduate:
$45
Graduate:
$50
|
| SAT range | 1350 - 1490 | 1070 - 1250 |
| ACT range | 31 - 34 | 23 - 29 |
| Students submitting SAT score | 28.0% | 27.0% |
| Students submitting ACT score | 17.0% | 1.0% |
| Total number of applicants | 24,410 | 14,020 |
| Total number of admissions given out | 6,162 | 12,528 |
| Admitted students who chose to enroll | 1,772 | 2,628 |
| Yield rate | 28.8% | 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 | $77,806 |
In state:
$28,419
Out of state:
$40,243
|
| Average net price | $33,123 | $14,133 |
| Tuition | $58,290 |
In state:
$7,716
Out of state:
$19,290
|
| Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$8,236
Meal plan:
$7,150
|
Room/dormitory:
$5,794
Meal plan:
$3,700
|
| Available payment plans |
|
|
|
|
||
Financial Aid |
||
|
Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
52.0%
Average amount $43,106 |
100.0%
Average amount $4,607 |
| Students receiving federal student loan |
34.0%
Average amount $5,267 |
51.0%
Average amount $5,238 |
| Students taking out private loans |
7.0%
Average amount $29,933 |
11.0%
Average amount $11,835 |
|
|
||
Students and Campus |
||
| Undergraduate students |
7,032
Men 45.6% Women 54.4% |
14,471
Men 40.0% Women 60.0% |
| Graduate students |
3,838
Men 46.6% Women 53.4% |
3,143
Men 31.7% Women 68.3% |
| Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
|
Low
|
| Out-of-state students | 80.7% | 11.4% |
| International students | 3.6% | 0.4% |
| Campus local/setting | Suburb: Large | Suburb: Large |
| Dormitory capacity | 5,400 | 5,128 |
| First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
| Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | New Jersey Pennsylvania New York Connecticut Maryland | Pennsylvania New Jersey Delaware Maryland New York |
|
|
||
Academics |
||
| Popular study areas |
|
|
| Students to faculty ratio | 11:1 | 20:1 |
| Institutional accreditation | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
|
|
||
Outcome |
||
| Graduation rate | 91.3% | 72.8% |
| Dropout rate | 1.5% | 7.6% |
| Transferred out | 7.2% | 18.4% |
| Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Taxation (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Business/Managerial Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Real Estate (Bachelor's Degrees)
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees)
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
|
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business/Managerial Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's Degrees)
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
Music (Master's Degrees)
|
Compare Similar Colleges
The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing
statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you
don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page.
There, you can search for the
specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
Villanova University
vs
Pepperdine University
Villanova University
vs
University of San Diego
Villanova University
vs
University of Denver
Villanova University
vs
Fairfield University
Villanova University
vs
Sacred Heart University
Villanova University
vs
Georgetown University
Villanova University
vs
University of Miami
Villanova University
vs
The University of Tampa
Villanova University
vs
Emory University
Villanova University
vs
Bradley University
Villanova University
vs
Loyola University Chicago
Villanova University
vs
Saint Xavier University
Villanova University
vs
University of Notre Dame
Villanova University
vs
Drake University
Villanova University
vs
Loyola University Maryland
Villanova University
vs
Mount St. Mary's University
Villanova University
vs
United States Naval Academy
Villanova University
vs
Assumption University
Villanova University
vs
Babson College
Villanova University
vs
Bentley University
Villanova University
vs
Boston College
Villanova University
vs
Brandeis University
Villanova University
vs
Endicott College
Villanova University
vs
Stonehill College
Villanova University
vs
Tufts University
Villanova University
vs
University of St Thomas
Villanova University
vs
Rowan University
Villanova University
vs
Seton Hall University
Villanova University
vs
The College of New Jersey
Villanova University
vs
Canisius College
Villanova University
vs
Fordham University
Villanova University
vs
Iona College
Villanova University
vs
Manhattan College
Villanova University
vs
St. John's University-New York
Villanova University
vs
United States Military Academy
Villanova University
vs
Elon University
Villanova University
vs
Wake Forest University
Villanova University
vs
University of Dayton
Villanova University
vs
DeSales University
Villanova University
vs
Bucknell University
Villanova University
vs
Duquesne University
Villanova University
vs
La Salle University
Villanova University
vs
Muhlenberg College
Villanova University
vs
Saint Joseph's University
Villanova University
vs
Belmont University
Villanova University
vs
Lipscomb University
Villanova University
vs
Hampton University
WCUPA
vs
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
WCUPA
vs
Northern Kentucky University
WCUPA
vs
Salisbury University
WCUPA
vs
Towson University
WCUPA
vs
Westfield State University
WCUPA
vs
Grand Valley State University
WCUPA
vs
College of Staten Island CUNY
WCUPA
vs
Appalachian State University
WCUPA
vs
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania
WCUPA
vs
Bucknell University
WCUPA
vs
California University of Pennsylvania
WCUPA
vs
Cedar Crest College
WCUPA
vs
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
WCUPA
vs
Clarion University of Pennsylvania
WCUPA
vs
Dickinson College
WCUPA
vs
Drexel University
WCUPA
vs
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
WCUPA
vs
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
WCUPA
vs
Franklin and Marshall College
WCUPA
vs
Haverford College
WCUPA
vs
King's College
WCUPA
vs
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
WCUPA
vs
Lafayette College
WCUPA
vs
Lock Haven University
WCUPA
vs
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
WCUPA
vs
Millersville University of Pennsylvania
WCUPA
vs
University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown
WCUPA
vs
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
WCUPA
vs
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
WCUPA
vs
Swarthmore College
WCUPA
vs
Temple University
WCUPA
vs
Villanova University
WCUPA
vs
The University of Texas at Tyler
WCUPA
vs
James Madison University
WCUPA
vs
Marshall University
WCUPA
vs
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
WCUPA
vs
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
WCUPA
vs
DeVry University-Pennsylvania
Common app member