West Chester University of Pennsylvania: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Private nonprofit · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a private nonprofit university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that admits about 86% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $28,163 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General and Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 8.8 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a private institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For the most recent reporting cycle, West Chester University of Pennsylvania admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 86%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1259 and an ACT composite around 28. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $28,163 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether West Chester University of Pennsylvania is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for West Chester University of Pennsylvania?
West Chester University of Pennsylvania has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
SAT and ACT scores West Chester University of Pennsylvania typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 560–670, with an EBRW midpoint near 610. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 27–32. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | — |
| 50th percentile | 1259 |
| 75th percentile | — |
| 25th percentile | 27 |
| 50th percentile | 28 |
| 75th percentile | 32 |
How much does West Chester University of Pennsylvania actually cost?
Published tuition is $45,683 for in-state students and $45,683 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $17,246 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $28,163 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 34% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| Average net price (after aid) | $28,163 |
Application deadlines and early decision data for West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Most popular majors at West Chester University of Pennsylvania
The most popular undergraduate programs at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General and Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. Across all programs, West Chester University of Pennsylvania confers roughly 892 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing program report a median income of about $98,011 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 466 | $98,011 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 138 | $72,801 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 71 | $86,316 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 57 | $56,844 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 52 | — |
| Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations | 41 | $58,144 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | 37 | — |
| Psychology, General | 30 | $52,388 |
Is West Chester University of Pennsylvania safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), West Chester University of Pennsylvania disclosed 33 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 8.8 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 17 violent offenses and 5 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
Other colleges in Pennsylvania parents ask about
- University of Pennsylvania6% acceptance
- Carnegie Mellon University54% acceptance
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus50% acceptance
- Lehigh University78% acceptance
- Drexel University11% acceptance
- University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus32% acceptance
- Temple University79% acceptance
- Villanova University83% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like West Chester University of Pennsylvania recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about West Chester University of Pennsylvania
What GPA do I need for West Chester University of Pennsylvania?
West Chester University of Pennsylvania has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does West Chester University of Pennsylvania typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 560–670, with an EBRW midpoint near 610. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 27–32.
How much does West Chester University of Pennsylvania actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at West Chester University of Pennsylvania after grants and scholarships is $28,163 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is West Chester University of Pennsylvania realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at West Chester University of Pennsylvania?
West Chester University of Pennsylvania accepts about 86% of applicants. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is West Chester University of Pennsylvania a public or private school, and where is it located?
West Chester University of Pennsylvania is a private nonprofit institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
What are the most popular majors at West Chester University of Pennsylvania?
The largest undergraduate majors at West Chester University of Pennsylvania by annual graduates are Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General and Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. The school awards about 892 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is West Chester University of Pennsylvania safe? What is its campus crime rate?
West Chester University of Pennsylvania reported 33 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 8.8 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by West Chester University of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.