BYU-I vs. WCU

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

 BYU-I WCU
Location Rexburg, ID Cullowhee, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 43,023 11,635
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #844 #763
Religious Affiliation Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website byui.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BYU-I WCU
Tuition (In State) $4,536 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $4,536 $5,000
Room & Board $4,676 $11,173
Avg Net Price $7,899 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $4,904 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 61% 99%

Admission

 BYU-I WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,222 17,917
Admitted 9,768 15,201
Acceptance Rate 95.6% 84.8%
Enrolled % 44.8% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.34 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 19/26
SAT Range 990/1200 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 Feb 15, 2025 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 BYU-I WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (28%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 BYU-I WCU
Graduation Rate 52% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,700 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,000 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $113 $227

Diversity

 BYU-I WCU
% Men 44% 41%
% Women 56% 59%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 79%
% Black 1% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 7% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 BYU-I WCU
% In-State 26% 80%
% Out-of-State 71% 18%

Campus

 BYU-I WCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Brigham Young University Idaho is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (43,023 students vs. 11,635 students)

BYU-I vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BYU-I or WCU?

  • Brigham Young University Idaho is 353.6% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($4,536.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.2% higher at WCU than Brigham Young University Idaho ($5,000.00 vs. $4,536.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Brigham Young University Idaho than WCU ($7,899 vs. $13,022)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Brigham Young University Idaho are 138.9% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($4,676 vs. $11,173)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than Brigham Young University Idaho (99% vs. 61%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Brigham Young University Idaho students is 8.4% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($4,904 vs. $4,526)

BYU-I vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Brigham Young University Idaho (1040) is 8 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming BYU-I students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at BYU-I (3.34)
  • BYU-I has a higher acceptance rate (95.6%) than WCU (84.8%)

BYU-I vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BYU-I 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 BYU-I.

  • The graduation rate at BYU-I is higher than Western Carolina University (52% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Brigham Young University Idaho earn on average $7,600 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($46,700 vs. $39,100)
  • Brigham Young University Idaho students graduate with a $11,010 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($11,000 vs. $22,010)
  • BYU-I graduates are paying $114 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($113 vs. $227)
  • More BYU-I graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 58%)

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