Barton College vs. WCU

Should I go to Barton College or Western Carolina University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Barton College or WCU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Barton College vs. Western Carolina University comparison
Barton College Western Carolina University College 3 College 4
Western Carolina University
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Overview

 Barton College WCU
Location Wilson, NC Cullowhee, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,259 11,628
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #960 #742
Religious Affiliation Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website barton.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Barton College WCU
Tuition (In State) $35,600 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $35,600 $5,000
Room & Board $13,050 $11,764
Avg Net Price $23,804 $12,252
Avg Grant Aid $24,334 $5,442
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

 Barton College WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,228 18,183
Admitted 2,136 15,758
Acceptance Rate 95.9% 86.7%
Enrolled % 13.2% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.44
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23 20/26
SAT Range 970/1150 1050/1260
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 Barton College WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • General Studies (5%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 Barton College WCU
Graduation Rate 47% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,700 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $279 $227

Diversity

 Barton College WCU
% Men 4% 4%
% Women 4% 10%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 56% 79%
% Black 21% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 8% 1%

Students

 Barton College WCU
% In-State 75% 78%
% Out-of-State 20% 19%

Campus

 Barton College WCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than Barton College based on total student enrollment (11,628 students vs. 1,259 students)

Barton College vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Barton College or WCU?

  • Barton College is 3,460% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($35,600.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 612% higher at Barton College than Western Carolina University ($35,600.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Barton College ($12,252 vs. $23,804)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 10.9% lower than costs at Barton College ($11,764 vs. $13,050)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Barton College than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Barton College students is 347.2% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($24,334 vs. $5,442)

Barton College vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Barton College or WCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between WCU or Barton College .

  • The average SAT score at Western Carolina University (1032) is 73 points higher than at Barton College (959)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Barton College (21)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at Barton College (3.25)
  • Barton College has a higher acceptance rate (95.9%) than WCU (86.7%)

Barton College vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Barton College or WCU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between WCU and Barton College.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Barton College (50% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Western Carolina University earn on average $400 more per year than Barton College graduates after ten years. ($39,100 vs. $38,700)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $4,990 lower median federal student loan debt than Barton College graduates. ($22,010 vs. $27,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Barton College graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Barton College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 52%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/