Is Richmond or Wesleyan harder to get into?

Wesleyan is harder to get into than Richmond. Wesleyan's 16.5% acceptance rate is lower than Richmond's 22.2%.

Which is cheaper, Richmond or Wesleyan?

Wesleyan costs less on average. After grants and scholarships, Wesleyan's average net price is $30,177 vs $31,309 at Richmond.

Which has higher post-graduation earnings, Richmond or Wesleyan?

Richmond graduates earn more on average. Median earnings 10 years after entry are $76,178 at Richmond and $73,897 at Wesleyan.

Richmond vs. Wesleyan: Acceptance Rate, SAT, Cost & Outcomes Compared

Metric	Richmond	Wesleyan
Acceptance rate	22.2%	16.5%
SAT mid-50%	1410–1530	1415–1540
ACT mid-50%	33–35	33–35
Cost of attendance	$80,961	$89,020
Avg net price (after aid)	$31,309	$30,177
Undergrad enrollment	2,980	3,067
6-yr graduation rate	85.2%	92.6%
Median earnings (10yr)	$76,178	$73,897
Setting	Richmond, Virginia	Middletown, Connecticut

The Real Differences

Wesleyan is meaningfully harder to get into. A 5.7-percentage-point gap between 22.2% (Richmond) and 16.5% (Wesleyan) reflects real selectivity differences. Richmond is the more realistic target for a balanced college list.

Net cost is essentially the same at both schools after grants and scholarships, despite different sticker prices. Both schools meet most demonstrated need for in-range income brackets.

Geographic difference matters more than the campus tour suggests. Richmond is in Richmond, Virginia; Wesleyan is in Middletown, Connecticut. Climate, cost-of-living, and proximity to job markets in your target field shape the four-year experience and post-grad pipeline more than most prospective students realize.

Wesleyan's graduation rate is meaningfully higher (92.6% vs 85.2% 6-year completion). Graduation gaps at this level usually reflect support-system differences, financial aid adequacy, or degree-flexibility — worth verifying with each school's first-year retention and major-change policies.

Student Body Composition

The two schools have different student body compositions. Richmond is 54.1% women, 10.7% international, and 6.2% Asian-American. Wesleyan is 52.2% women, 9.9% international, and 9.0% Asian-American.

Demographic	Richmond	Wesleyan
Women	54.1%	52.2%
International	10.7%	9.9%
White	61.9%	53.6%
Asian	6.2%	9.0%
Hispanic	9.2%	10.8%
Black	6.5%	6.0%

Personalized estimate

What are your odds at Richmond vs. Wesleyan?

Get a probability for both schools calibrated to your full profile, not the headline rate.

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The Verdict

Pick Richmond if

Your odds are realistic at Richmond (slightly easier admit)
Higher median post-grad earnings ($76,178 vs $73,897)
the Robins School of Business

Pick Wesleyan if

Net price matters: Wesleyan costs $1,132 less per year on average
Higher 6-year graduation rate
the College of Social Studies

Headline numbers favor one school or the other on each axis, but neither is unambiguously “better.” The right answer depends on your major fit, geographic preference, financial need, and personal odds at each. Most applicants who get into one of these schools also get into the other.

Full School Pages

For complete admissions data, supplemental essay strategy, and class profile breakdowns:

Full profile

University of Richmond

22.2% accept · Richmond, Virginia

Full profile

Wesleyan University

16.5% accept · Middletown, Connecticut

Sources

U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard for acceptance rates, test ranges, financial aid, demographics, completion, and earnings.
IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) for the underlying federal data.
Each school's most recent published Common Data Set for cycle-specific admissions stats.

Last verified May 2026. Stats reflect each school's most recent publicly published admit cycle.

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University of Richmond vs. Wesleyan University