Ursinus College vs West Chester University of Pennsylvania (WCUPA)

Ursinus College and West Chester University of Pennsylvania, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Ursinus, a private liberal arts college, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 67%, while West Chester, a public university, welcomes a broader range of students with an acceptance rate of 80%. Ursinus students predominantly pursue degrees in the social sciences, biological sciences, and business, while West Chester offers a wider array of programs, including popular majors in education, business, and nursing. The student bodies reflect these differences, with Ursinus fostering a close-knit community of 1,600 undergraduates and West Chester hosting a diverse population of over 17,000 students. Ursinus graduates enjoy a high placement rate, with 95% securing employment or continuing their education within six months of graduation, while West Chester boasts an impressive 80% graduation rate. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these two
Ursinus College logo

Ursinus College

West Chester University of Pennsylvania logo

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Overview

Location Collegeville, 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 Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 85.0% 85.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 82.7% 89.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $45

Graduate: $50
SAT range 1200 - 1360 1070 - 1250
ACT range 27 - 32 23 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 34.0% 27.0%
Students submitting ACT score 9.0% 1.0%
Total number of applicants 3,818 14,020
Total number of admissions given out 3,158 12,528
Admitted students who chose to enroll 433 2,628
Yield rate 13.7% 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 $73,982
In state: $28,419

Out of state: $40,243
Average net price $31,438 $14,133
Tuition $56,600
In state: $7,716

Out of state: $19,290
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,230

Meal plan: $4,830
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 $39,622
100.0%
Average amount $4,607
Students receiving federal student loan 69.0%
Average amount $5,630
51.0%
Average amount $5,238
Students taking out private loans 16.0%
Average amount $18,143
11.0%
Average amount $11,835

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,556
Men 52.2% Women 47.8%
14,471
Men 40.0% Women 60.0%
Graduate students N/A 3,143
Men 31.7% Women 68.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students 42.4% 11.4%
International students 0.9% 0.4%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,510 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 Maryland New York Connecticut Pennsylvania New Jersey Delaware Maryland New York

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • English Language and Literature
  • Physical Science
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures
  • 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 72.5% 72.8%
Dropout rate 27.3% 7.6%
Transferred out N/A 18.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,186
  • Year 2: $47,650
  • Year 3: $61,215
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,137
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $48,478
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,123
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $40,114
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,195
  • Year 2: $31,133
  • Year 3: $38,857
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,243
  • Year 2: $26,933
  • Year 3: $37,740
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,345
  • Year 2: $27,439
  • Year 3: N/A
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $67,995
  • Year 3: N/A
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $18,847
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: N/A
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $23,394
  • Year 2: $36,668
  • Year 3: N/A
Neurobiology and Neurosciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,582
  • Year 2: $33,281
  • Year 3: N/A
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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