BAC vs. WCU

Should I go to Belmont Abbey College or Western Carolina University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BAC 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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Belmont Abbey College vs. Western Carolina University comparison
Belmont Abbey College Western Carolina University College 3 College 4
Belmont Abbey College Western Carolina University
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Overview

 BAC WCU
Location Belmont, NC Cullowhee, NC
Setting Midsize Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 1,501 11,635
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #921 #763
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website belmontabbeycollege.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BAC WCU
Tuition (In State) $18,500 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $18,500 $5,000
Room & Board $11,658 $11,173
Avg Net Price $23,522 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $9,266 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

 BAC WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,757 17,917
Admitted 2,679 15,201
Acceptance Rate 97.2% 84.8%
Enrolled % 14.7% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.32 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/26 19/26
SAT Range 950/1140 1020/1240
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

 BAC WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 BAC WCU
Graduation Rate 38% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,900 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 40% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $279 $227

Diversity

 BAC WCU
% Men 53% 41%
% Women 47% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 45% 79%
% Black 22% 6%
% Hispanic 1% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 28% 1%

Students

 BAC WCU
% In-State 37% 80%
% Out-of-State 57% 18%

Campus

 BAC WCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No 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 BAC based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 1,501 students)

BAC vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BAC or WCU?

  • Belmont Abbey College is 1,750% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($18,500.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 270% higher at BAC than Western Carolina University ($18,500.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than BAC ($13,022 vs. $23,522)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 4.3% lower than costs at Belmont Abbey College ($11,173 vs. $11,658)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Belmont Abbey College than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Belmont Abbey College students is 104.7% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($9,266 vs. $4,526)

BAC vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Carolina University (1032) is 11 points higher than at BAC (1021)
  • Incoming BAC students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at BAC (3.32)
  • BAC has a higher acceptance rate (97.2%) than WCU (84.8%)

BAC vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BAC 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 BAC.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Belmont Abbey College (50% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Belmont Abbey College earn on average $2,800 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($41,900 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $4,990 lower median federal student loan debt than BAC graduates. ($22,010 vs. $27,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than BAC graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BAC students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 40%)

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