Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) vs University of Louisville (UofL)

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and the University of Louisville (UofL) stand as prominent institutions of higher learning in their respective states, offering a diverse range of academic programs and vibrant campus life. While both universities share similarities in their commitment to academic excellence and student success, they also possess distinct characteristics that set them apart. This side-by-side comparison delves into the key differences between VCU and UofL, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Whether you're a prospective student seeking the ideal academic environment or a parent seeking insights into your child's future, this comprehensive analysis will guide you in making an informed decision about which university aligns best with your aspirations and goals.

	University of Louisville	Virginia Commonwealth University
Overview
Location	Louisville, Kentucky	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	77.0%	84.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	74.7%	92.8%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $25 Graduate: $65	Undergraduate: $70 Graduate: $70
SAT range	1050 - 1270	1070 - 1300
ACT range	20 - 28	20 - 29
Students submitting SAT score	13.0%	29.0%
Students submitting ACT score	91.0%	5.0%
Total number of applicants	15,455	17,579
Total number of admissions given out	11,544	16,308
Admitted students who chose to enroll	2,695	4,084
Yield rate	23.3%	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: $30,846 Out of state: $47,192	In state: $36,861 Out of state: $58,199
Average net price	$18,582	$19,656
Tuition	In state: $12,174 Out of state: $28,520	In state: $12,094 Out of state: $32,742
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,830 Meal plan: $3,022	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)	97.0% Average amount $11,245	78.0% Average amount $13,623
Students receiving federal student loan	38.0% Average amount $5,075	44.0% Average amount $5,174
Students taking out private loans	7.0% Average amount $14,230	8.0% Average amount $17,903

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	15,634 Men 44.3% Women 55.7%	21,394 Men 36.9% Women 63.1%
Graduate students	6,506 Men 46.6% Women 53.4%	7,200 Men 33.7% Women 66.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	N/A	7.0%
International students	3.3%	3.6%
Campus local/setting	City: Large	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	3,569	5,958
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Indiana Illinois Ohio Tennessee	Virginia Maryland North Carolina New Jersey Pennsylvania

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Education Engineering Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences	Health Professions Visual & Performing Arts Business Public Administration and Social Service Multidisciplinary Studies
Students to faculty ratio	13:1	18:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	62.5%	67.6%
Dropout rate	35.7%	10.5%
Transferred out	N/A	19.2%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Dentistry (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $109,713 Year 2: $119,805 Year 3: $136,094 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $73,310 Year 2: $95,473 Year 3: $93,851 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $82,553 Year 2: $79,967 Year 3: $88,591 Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $82,531 Year 2: $81,929 Year 3: $86,731 Computer Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $73,320 Year 2: $73,446 Year 3: $86,197 Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,323 Year 2: $68,499 Year 3: $85,784 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Post-Baccalaureate Certificates) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $83,177 Year 3: $84,903 Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $82,676 Year 2: $74,953 Year 3: $81,820 Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,646 Year 2: $77,715 Year 3: $80,758 Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $75,195 Year 2: $67,939 Year 3: $80,421	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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