Berea College vs. WCU

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

 Berea College WCU
Location Berea, KY Cullowhee, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,487 11,628
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #742
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berea.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Berea College WCU
Tuition (In State) $48,600 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $48,600 $5,000
Room & Board $7,892 $11,764
Avg Net Price $4,379 $12,252
Avg Grant Aid $51,923 $5,442
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

 Berea College WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,073 18,183
Admitted 678 15,758
Acceptance Rate 32.7% 86.7%
Enrolled % 60.9% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 24/27 20/26
SAT Range 1156/1335 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 31, 2026 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

 Berea College WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 Berea College WCU
Graduation Rate - 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,100 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,800 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $59 $227

Diversity

 Berea College WCU
% Men 1% 4%
% Women 0% 10%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 60% 79%
% Black 16% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 8% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Berea College WCU
% In-State 44% 78%
% Out-of-State 46% 19%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than Berea College based on total student enrollment (11,628 students vs. 1,487 students)

Berea College vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Berea College or WCU?

  • Berea College is 4,760% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($48,600.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 872% higher at Berea College than Western Carolina University ($48,600.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Berea College than WCU ($4,379 vs. $12,252)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Berea College are 49.1% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($7,892 vs. $11,764)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Berea College than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Berea College students is 854.1% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($51,923 vs. $5,442)

Berea College vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Berea College (1117) is 85 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming Berea College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Berea College students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than Berea College (32.7%)

Berea College vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Berea 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 Berea College.

  • Graduates from Western Carolina University earn on average $3,000 more per year than Berea College graduates after ten years. ($39,100 vs. $36,100)
  • Berea College students graduate with a $16,210 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($5,800 vs. $22,010)
  • Berea College graduates are paying $168 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($59 vs. $227)
  • More Berea College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 58%)

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