West Chester University of Pennsylvania
West Chester, PA
78.4%
Acceptance Rate
$10,775
Avg Cost (In-State)
$22,599
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
70.2%
Graduation Rate
14,164
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
May 1
Common App
No
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
0
Letters of Rec
0
Application Fee
$45
Interview
Not required
Essays: No essay required for admission
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$51,013
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$61,258
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
70%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | — | $98,013 | — |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
Write a review →Verified with .edu email. We moderate for spam/abuse, never for sentiment. Reviewer names stay private.
No verified reviews of West Chester University of Pennsylvania yet.
Are you a current student here? Be the first to share what you wish you'd known before enrolling.
Verify with .edu and write oneWhat will you actually pay?
Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Penn State Bunton-Waller Fellowship
Tuition + research/teaching stipend
universityUnderrepresented PhD students at Penn State pursuing teaching/research careers.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Drexel Dean's Merit Scholarship
$10,000-$24,000/year
universityDrexel incoming freshmen with strong academic profile; tiered automatic award.
Deadline: January 15
Learn more ↗Pennsylvania State Grant
Up to $5,750/year
statePennsylvania residents attending approved PA or reciprocal-state schools. Based on financial need via FAFSA.
Deadline: May 1 (August 1 for renewals)
Learn more ↗Penn State Provost Award
$2,000-$5,000/year
universityOOS students in top 10% of class with strong test scores. Automatic.
Deadline: November 30
Learn more ↗Bryn Mawr Need-Met Aid
100% need met
universityAll admitted Bryn Mawr students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗Penn State Schreyer Honors College Scholarship
$5,000-$8,000/year
universityAdmission to Schreyer Honors College; competitive nationwide.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Philadelphia Foundation Scholarships
$500-$10,000
localPhiladelphia-area students; many named funds.
Deadline: March 1
Learn more ↗Pittsburgh Chancellor's Scholarship
Full tuition + housing + meals + book stipend
universityTop ~20 incoming Pitt freshmen nationally; based on academic record + interview + essay.
Deadline: December 15
Learn more ↗PA Chafee Education and Training Grant
Up to $5,000/year
statePA former foster youth ages 16-25.
Deadline: Rolling
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 78.4% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
78.4%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, MO
78.5% acceptance
Both admit around 79% of applicants, with 24k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
University of Central Oklahoma
Edmond, OK
78.1% acceptance
Both admit around 78% of applicants, with 10k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
Rowan University
Glassboro, NJ
77.7% acceptance
Both admit around 78% of applicants, with 16k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
CUNY New York City College of Technology
Brooklyn, NY
80.3% acceptance
Similar selectivity (80% vs 78%) but out-of-state cost runs $15k — meaningfully less than $23k.
Central Connecticut State University
New Britain, CT
73.3% acceptance
Similar selectivity (73% vs 78%) but out-of-state cost runs $17k — meaningfully less than $23k.
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC
81.8% acceptance
Similar selectivity (82% vs 78%) but out-of-state cost runs $9k — meaningfully less than $23k.
Reaches above this college
University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR
56.5% acceptance
Same s setting in the region, but more selective (57% vs 78%) — a stretch target if West Chester University of Pennsylvania is already on your list.
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY
49% acceptance
Same s setting in the Northeast, but more selective (49% vs 78%) — a stretch target if West Chester University of Pennsylvania is already on your list.
SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY
49% acceptance
Same s setting in the Northeast, but more selective (49% vs 78%) — a stretch target if West Chester University of Pennsylvania is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
Stockton University
Galloway, NJ
88.9% acceptance
Same s setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (89% vs 78%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
College of Staten Island CUNY
Staten Island, NY
92.3% acceptance
Same s setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (92% vs 78%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Southern New Hampshire University
Manchester, NH
99.5% acceptance
Same s setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (100% vs 78%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Ready to dig deeper?
Get your personalized research report for West Chester University of Pennsylvania — scholarships, admissions strategy, costs, and a step-by-step playbook.