West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, PA, USA

The West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a public school in the Philadelphia area and the largest institution in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. WCU is comprised of seven colleges including the College of Arts & Humanities, the largest school on campus. To provide opportunities to learn in a foreign culture, the WCU Center for International Programs organizes nearly 700 exchange and study abroad programs with partner institutions including Guizhou University in China. For sports fans, WCU fields 23 men’s and women’s athletic teams.

Admissions

Key Admissions Stats

Institution Type
Public
  • Not for Profit
  • Coed

Need Aware

This school may consider an applicant’s financial situation when deciding admission

Level of Institution
4 Year
Campus Setting
Suburb or town
0
100
89%
Acceptance Rate

Admissions Requirements

SAT
SAT is not checked
No
ACT
ACT is not checked
No
Transcript
Transcript is checked
Yes

Important Deadlines

Application TypeApplication DeadlineReply Deadline
OtherFebruary 1May 1

Rolling Admissions

The college has rolling admissions, which means applications are accepted any time throughout the year.

Admitted Student Stats

In-State Students
89%
Out-Of-State Students
10%
1%
Submitting ACT
27%
Submitting SAT
Average ACT Composite: 23
0
36
Average SAT Composite: 1123
0
1600

Academics

Key Academic Stats

Highest Degree Offered
Doctorate
Total Number of Students
17,614
Total Number of Undergrads
14,471
Academic Calendar

Semester

See your fit
Classroom Sizes

2-19 Students
24%
20-39 Students
60%
40-99 Students
11%
100+ Students
3%
0
100
54%
Graduate in 4 Years US National: 28%
0
100
77%
Graduate in 6 Years US National: 52%
Student:Faculty Ratio
20:1
US National: 21:1

Tuition, Cost & Aid

Key Financial Stats

Average Net Price
$19,336
Calculate your net cost
Tuition
In-State Tuition In-state tuition is the tuition charged by institutions to those students who meet the state's or institution's residency requirements. In-district tuition is the tuition charged by the institution to those students residing in the locality in which they attend school and may be a lower rate than in-state tuition if offered by the institution.
$10,527
Out-of-State Tuition Out-of-state tuition is the tuition charged by institutions to those students who do not meet the state’s or institution’s residency requirements. Out-of-district tuition is the tuition charged by the institution to those students not residing in the locality in which they attend school.
$22,351
Additional Costs
Room and Board The weighted average for room and board and other expenses is generated as follows:
  • (amount for on-campus room, board and other expenses * # of students living on-campus.
  • + amount for off-campus (with family) room, board and other expenses * # of students living off-campus with family
  • + amount for off-campus (not with family) room, board and other expenses * # of students living off-campus not with family)
divided by the total # of students. Students whose living arrangements are unknown are excluded from the calculation. For some institutions the # of students by living arrangement will be known, but dollar amounts will not be known. In this case the # of students with no corresponding dollar amount will be excluded from the denominator.
$14,228
Books and Supplies
$1200

Aid & Grants

0
100
45%
Need Met
Students Receiving Gift Aid Percent of undergraduate students awarded federal gift aid. Federal gift aid includes any grant or scholarship aid awarded, from the federal government, a state or local government, the institution, and other sources known by the institution.
25%
Average Aid Per Year
$5,928
Students Receiving Grants Percent of undergraduate students awarded grant aid. Grant aid includes any grant or scholarship aid awarded, from the federal government, a state or local government, the institution, and other sources known by the institution.
25%
Average Federal Grant Aid Per Year
$3,891
Average Institution Grant Aid Per Year
$2,817

Student Loans

Students Borrowing Loans Loans to students - Any monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student is the designated borrower. Includes all Title IV subsidized and unsubsidized loans and all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Does not include PLUS and other loans made directly to parents.
70%
Average Loan Amount Per Year
$9,316
Average Debt at Graduation The median federal debt of undergraduate borrowers who graduated. This figure includes only federal loans; it excludes private student loans and Parent PLUS loans.
$19,500
Median Monthly Loan Payment The median monthly loan payment for student borrowers who completed, if it were repaid over 10 years at a 5.05% interest rate.
$229

Campus Life

Key Campus Stats

Student Gender
Male
Female
40%
60%
Student Organizations
295
Size of Town
Suburb or town
LGBTQIA Student Resource Groups
LGBTQIA Student Resource Groups is checked
Yes
On Campus Women's Center
On Campus Women's Center is checked
Yes

Housing

0
100
65%
Undergrads Living on Campus
On-campus living required of freshman
No

Athletics

Divisional Sports Nickname
Golden Rams
School Colors
purple and gold
Varsity Athletics Association
NCAA
Varsity Athletics Conference Primary
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference

Campus Safety

24-HR security patrol
24-HR security patrol is checked
Yes
Campus emergency phones
Campus emergency phones is checked
Yes

After Graduation

Post Grad Stats

Top 5 Cities
Philadelphia
New York
Allentown
Reading
Lancaster
Employed
6 mos. after graduation
73%
Average Salary
6 years after graduation
$51,200

What Students Are Saying

There is a place for everyone at West Chester. It is a great location, a great price, and a great community. I honestly have never met anyone who doesn'Â?t love it here.
Jenna
West Chester is the absolute best choice for anyone who is looking for a place to grow academically and socially. The campus is the perfect size: small enough to not get lost, but big enough for plenty of places to meet up with friends. The students and faculty are all incredibly supportive of one another, creating an accepting and judgement-free environment. Go Rams!
Kiera from Hatfield, PA
west chester university will forever hold a place in my heart. the beautiful wcu campus is within walking distance of downtown west chester, with plenty of food options and entertainment for all ages. i am proud of my alma mater and will always strongly recommend it as an academic path for potential prospective students.
nicholas from west chester, pa
It really is a great place to spend your college years. It is full of staff and faculty who truly care about their students. Being an out of state student, I am truly grateful to be a student here at West Chester.
Michelle from Hazlet, NJ
West Chester University is an interesting blend of the urban and suburban. The school while in the shadow of the Philadelphia metropolitan area stands alone as its own entity and treats the community as such. The school has a somewhat diverse yet separate student body that leaves many satisfied and many not sure how to feel.
Eric from Mechanicsburg, PA
My favorite aspect of West Chester University of PA is the quiet, quaint college community. You're just minutes away from Philadelphia, Delaware and Maryland in one direction, and farm country in the other, with attractions like King of Prussia Mall and Longwood Gardens virtually around the corner. The peace and tranquility of this college town has a lot to offer the individually both mentally and physically.
William from Philadelphia, PA
West Chester is a very well-rounded university with so much to offer at such a reasonable price. It is a great place to discover new interests and follow your passions. Everyone attending this university is united and proud to be a Golden Ram!
Nicole from Pottstown, PA