CAU vs. Wake Forest

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

CAU Wake Forest
Location Atlanta, GA Winston Salem, NC
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 4,000 8,963
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #971
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cau.edu wfu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CAU Wake Forest
Tuition (In State) $21,948 $61,012
Tuition (Out of State) $21,948 $61,012
Room & Board $10,982 $16,652
Avg Net Price $30,015 $26,197
Avg Grant Aid $9,431 $54,233
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 29%

Admission

CAU Wake Forest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,153 16,857
Admitted 9,088 3,602
Acceptance Rate 56.3% 21.4%
Enrolled % 12.7% 38%
Avg High School GPA 3.28 -
Typical High School Grades B -
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 16/20
SAT Range 880/1120
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 Apr 1, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

CAU Wake Forest
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (26%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

CAU Wake Forest
Graduation Rate 41% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 30% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $320 $237

Diversity

CAU Wake Forest
% Men 24% 43%
% Women 76% 57%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 0% 72%
% Black 84% 6%
% Hispanic 0% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 2% 7%
% Unknown Race 13% 0%

Students

CAU Wake Forest
% In-State 27% 14%
% Out-of-State 72% 77%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Wake Forest University is larger than than CAU based on total student enrollment (8,963 students vs. 4,000 students)

CAU vs. Wake Forest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CAU or Wake Forest?

  • Wake Forest University is 178% more expensive to attend than CAU for in-state tuition ($61,012.00 vs. $21,948.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 178% higher at Wake Forest than Clark Atlanta University ($61,012.00 vs. $21,948.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wake Forest University than CAU ($26,197 vs. $30,015)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Clark Atlanta University are 51.6% lower than costs at Wake Forest University ($10,982 vs. $16,652)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Clark Atlanta University than Wake Forest University (83% vs. 29%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 475.1% larger than aid received Clark Atlanta University ($54,233 vs. $9,431)

CAU vs. Wake Forest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • CAU has a higher acceptance rate (56.3%) than Wake Forest (21.4%)

CAU vs. Wake Forest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CAU 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 CAU.

  • The graduation rate at Wake Forest is higher than Clark Atlanta University (88% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Wake Forest University earn on average $38,800 more per year than CAU graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $38,400)
  • Wake Forest University students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CAU graduates. ($23,000 vs. $31,000)
  • Wake Forest graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than CAU graduates. ($237 vs. $320)
  • More Wake Forest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CAU students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 30%)

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