West Chester: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

West Chester is a public institution located in West Chester, Pennsylvania. For the most recent reporting cycle, West Chester admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 76%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1170 and an ACT composite around 26. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $23,331 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for West Chester?

67% of enrolled students at West Chester had a high school GPA of 3.25 or above, and the average was 3.4, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.

What does West Chester weight in admissions?

West Chester reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean

SAT and ACT scores West Chester typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 540–620, with an EBRW midpoint near 585. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 24–28. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

How much does West Chester actually cost?

Published tuition is $10,775 for in-state students and $22,599 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $14,828 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $23,331 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 25% of students receive Pell Grants.

Application deadlines and early decision data for West Chester

Will my child graduate from West Chester?

These predict outcomes at West Chester better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates

Most popular majors at West Chester

The most popular undergraduate programs at West Chester, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Business Administration, Management and Operations and General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations. Across all programs, West Chester confers roughly 1,792 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods program report a median income of about $55,164 five years after entering college. What these figures mean

Is West Chester safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), West Chester disclosed 26 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 1.8 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 7 violent offenses and 10 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

What is campus life like at West Chester?

About 36% of undergraduates at West Chester live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 16% of men join a fraternity and 8% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.

Other colleges in Pennsylvania parents ask about

• Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
  87% acceptance
• Millersville University of Pennsylvania
  86% acceptance
• Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus
  91% acceptance
• Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
  71% acceptance
• Elizabethtown College
  78% acceptance
• Dickinson College
  42% acceptance
• Gettysburg College
  39% acceptance
• Franklin and Marshall College
  28% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about West Chester