Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) vs University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM)

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) are two distinct universities with unique offerings. VCU, located in the heart of Richmond, Virginia, boasts a vibrant urban campus and a diverse student body. UWM, situated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, offers a more traditional college experience with a strong focus on research and academics. While both universities share similarities in terms of size and academic reputation, they differ in acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee logo

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Virginia Commonwealth University logo

Virginia Commonwealth University

Overview

Location Milwaukee, Wisconsin Richmond, Virginia
Campus setting City: Large 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 76.0% 84.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 89.0% 92.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $25

Graduate: $56
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
SAT range N/A 1070 - 1300
ACT range 18 - 25 20 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 29.0%
Students submitting ACT score 82.0% 5.0%
Total number of applicants 14,859 17,579
Total number of admissions given out 13,218 16,308
Admitted students who chose to enroll 3,358 4,084
Yield rate 25.4% 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) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $24,614

Out of state: $36,479
In state: $36,861

Out of state: $58,199
Average net price $17,083 $19,656
Tuition
In state: $8,091

Out of state: $19,956
In state: $12,094

Out of state: $32,742
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,274

Meal plan: $4,189
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)

89.0%
Average amount $4,401
78.0%
Average amount $13,623
Students receiving federal student loan 43.0%
Average amount $4,970
44.0%
Average amount $5,174
Students taking out private loans 7.0%
Average amount $10,933
8.0%
Average amount $17,903

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 19,411
Men 45.2% Women 54.8%
21,394
Men 36.9% Women 63.1%
Graduate students 4,418
Men 37.3% Women 62.7%
7,200
Men 33.7% Women 66.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 10.7% 7.0%
International students 4.3% 3.6%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 4,228 5,958
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Wisconsin Illinois Minnesota Missouri Indiana Virginia Maryland North Carolina New Jersey Pennsylvania

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Liberal Arts
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Health Professions
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Business
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
Students to faculty ratio 18:1 18:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 47.4% 67.6%
Dropout rate 48.0% 10.5%
Transferred out N/A 19.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,506
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $93,377
Engineering, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,454
  • Year 2: $78,343
  • Year 3: $86,207
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,770
  • Year 2: $67,812
  • Year 3: $72,895
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,590
  • Year 2: $72,727
  • Year 3: $72,400
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,200
  • Year 2: $65,267
  • Year 3: $71,939
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,477
  • Year 2: $66,247
  • Year 3: $71,536
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,137
  • Year 2: $67,995
  • Year 3: $71,158
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,809
  • Year 2: $64,196
  • Year 3: $69,426
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,103
  • Year 2: $57,995
  • Year 3: $68,280
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,159
  • Year 2: $60,851
  • Year 3: $65,279
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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