Centre College vs. Wake Forest

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

Centre College Wake Forest
Location Danville, KY Winston Salem, NC
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 1,356 9,121
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #151 #44
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website centre.edu wfu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Centre College Wake Forest
Tuition (In State) $50,250 $63,608
Tuition (Out of State) $50,250 $63,608
Room & Board $13,770 $17,848
Avg Net Price $23,780 $27,790
Avg Grant Aid $39,597 $55,090
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 34%

Admission

Centre College Wake Forest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,226 17,479
Admitted 1,753 3,768
Acceptance Rate 54.3% 21.6%
Enrolled % 20.6% 36.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 26/32 32/34
SAT Range 1230/1423 1390/1510
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 Jan 15, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

Centre College Wake Forest
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (22%)
  • Foreign Languages (12%)
  • History (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Centre College Wake Forest
Graduation Rate 82% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,500 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $237

Diversity

Centre College Wake Forest
% Men 0% 16%
% Women 1% 24%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 72%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 7% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Centre College Wake Forest
% In-State 54% 15%
% Out-of-State 40% 76%

Campus

Centre College Wake Forest
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Wake Forest University is larger than than Centre College based on total student enrollment (9,121 students vs. 1,356 students)

Centre College vs. Wake Forest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Centre College or Wake Forest?

  • Wake Forest University is 26.6% more expensive to attend than Centre College for in-state tuition ($63,608.00 vs. $50,250.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.6% higher at Wake Forest than Centre College ($63,608.00 vs. $50,250.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Centre College than Wake Forest ($23,780 vs. $27,790)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Centre College are 29.6% lower than costs at Wake Forest University ($13,770 vs. $17,848)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Centre College than Wake Forest University (100% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 39.1% larger than aid received Centre College ($55,090 vs. $39,597)

Centre College vs. Wake Forest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Centre College has a higher acceptance rate (54.3%) than Wake Forest (21.6%)

Centre College vs. Wake Forest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Centre College or Wake Forest? 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 Wake Forest and Centre College.

  • The graduation rate at Wake Forest is higher than Centre College (88% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from Wake Forest University earn on average $24,700 more per year than Centre College graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $52,500)
  • Wake Forest University students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Centre College graduates. ($23,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Wake Forest graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than Centre College graduates. ($237 vs. $279)
  • More Wake Forest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Centre College students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 79%)

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