Western Connecticut State University

Western Connecticut State University Overview

Western Connecticut State University is a public, state school in an urban setting in Danbury, Connecticut. WCSU was founded in 1903 and the school enrolls around 5,247 students a year, including 4,641 undergraduates. WCSU provides housing for up to 1,601 students. The majority of students live on campus, and first year-students are required to live in campus housing.

Student Activities at WCSU

Are you interested in music or performing? Sing in a chorus or perform with one of WCSU's theater groups.

Are you interested in journalism and communications? WCSU students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.

Interested in joining a fraternity or sorority? WCSU has both fraternities and sororities.

Planning to play sports? WCSU has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at WCSU on the Student Life page.

Is WCSU a Good School?

There is no one way to define a "good" college or university. Some factors that can help you determine what a good school for you might be include admissions criteria, acceptance rate, tuition costs, and more.

Let's take a closer look at these areas to get a clearer view of what WCSU offers and if it could be the right college for you.

WCSU Acceptance Rate 2022

WCSU is moderately difficult to get into. Around 81% of applicants get into WCSU each year. Last year, 5,189 students applied to WCSU and 4,188 were admitted.

Retention and Graduation Rates at WCSU

Retention refers to the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. This is a way to get a sense of how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

Out of all the first-year, full-time undergrads who start at WCSU, around 76% come back their sophomore year. WCSU's six-year graduation rate for undergrads is 51%. Compare this to the average six-year graduation rate for colleges and universities in the U.S., which is around 61% for public schools and 67% for private.

Job Outlook WCSU Graduates

Job placement statistics for recent graduates can give you a sense of the return on investment a school offers.

Check with WCSU directly, for information on any information on starting salaries for recent grads.

Western Connecticut State University's Endowment

An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students.

As of 2021, the total market value of Western Connecticut State University's endowment was $21.4 million. The average college endowment was $905 million in 2021. The school spends $15,739 for each full-time student enrolled.

Tuition and Financial Aid at WCSU

Cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need.

WCSU meets 35% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. First-year students that attend WCSU full-time are awarded $9,463 a year in financial aid, on average.

The average student debt for graduates in the class of 2022 was around $38,474 per student, not including those with no debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2023-2024 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2022

Some aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA as soon as you can. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! You should never have to pay to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so be very wary of anyone asking you for money.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at WCSU.

Based on this information, does WCSU seem like a good fit? Remember, a school that is perfect for one person may not be the right school for another! So ask yourself: Is WCSU a good school for you?

If Western Connecticut State University seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

Still Exploring Schools?

To learn more about WCSU, choose from the options below:

Admissions

Student Life

Academics

Tuition & Aid

WCSU Community Forums

Then use the college admissions predictor to calculate your chances of getting admitted to some of the top colleges and universities in the U.S.

Where is WCSU?

WCSU is located in the urban setting of Danbury, Connecticut, less than an hour from New York City.

If you are interested in seeing WCSU for yourself, be sure to plan a visit! The best way to reach campus is to take Interstate 84 to Danbury, or book a flight to the nearest airport, LaGuardia.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what WCSU and Danbury are like without leaving home.

Considering Colleges in Connecticut?

See a full list of colleges in Connecticut and save your favorites to your college list.