CUW vs. UW-Eau Claire

Should I go to Concordia University Wisconsin or University of Wisconsin Eau Claire? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CUW or UW-Eau Claire 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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Concordia University Wisconsin vs. University of Wisconsin Eau Claire comparison
Concordia University Wisconsin University of Wisconsin Eau Claire College 3 College 4
Concordia University Wisconsin University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
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Overview

 CUW UW-Eau Claire
Location Mequon, WI Eau Claire, WI
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 4,988 10,104
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #395 #565
Religious Affiliation Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuw.edu uwec.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CUW UW-Eau Claire
Tuition (In State) $32,770 $7,361
Tuition (Out of State) $32,770 $16,074
Room & Board $12,160 $9,014
Avg Net Price $24,485 $15,000
Avg Grant Aid $23,477 $4,251
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 76%

Admission

 CUW UW-Eau Claire
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,544 10,403
Admitted 2,494 7,971
Acceptance Rate 70.4% 76.6%
Enrolled % 16.9% 26.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.59
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 21/26
SAT Range
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 CUW UW-Eau Claire
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (40%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (4%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

 CUW UW-Eau Claire
Graduation Rate 58% 65%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,100 $47,900
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,925 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $247 $240

Diversity

 CUW UW-Eau Claire
% Men 33% 40%
% Women 67% 60%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 89%
% Black 15% 1%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 CUW UW-Eau Claire
% In-State 63% 64%
% Out-of-State 37% 35%

Campus

 CUW UW-Eau Claire
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

  • University of Wisconsin Eau Claire is larger than than CUW based on total student enrollment (10,104 students vs. 4,988 students)

CUW vs. UW-Eau Claire Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CUW or UW-Eau Claire?

  • Concordia University Wisconsin is 345.2% more expensive to attend than UW-Eau Claire for in-state tuition ($32,770.00 vs. $7,361.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 103.9% higher at CUW than University of Wisconsin Eau Claire ($32,770.00 vs. $16,074.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire than CUW ($15,000 vs. $24,485)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire are 34.9% lower than costs at Concordia University Wisconsin ($9,014 vs. $12,160)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Concordia University Wisconsin than University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (99% vs. 76%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Concordia University Wisconsin students is 452.3% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Eau Claire ($23,477 vs. $4,251)

CUW vs. UW-Eau Claire Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (1110) is 44 points higher than at CUW (1066)
  • Incoming UW-Eau Claire students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at CUW (23)
  • Accepted freshman UW-Eau Claire students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at CUW (3.52)
  • UW-Eau Claire has a higher acceptance rate (76.6%) than CUW (70.4%)

CUW vs. UW-Eau Claire Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CUW or UW-Eau Claire? 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 UW-Eau Claire and CUW.

  • The graduation rate at UW-Eau Claire is higher than Concordia University Wisconsin (65% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Eau Claire earn on average $1,800 more per year than CUW graduates after ten years. ($47,900 vs. $46,100)
  • University of Wisconsin Eau Claire students graduate with a $675 lower median federal student loan debt than CUW graduates. ($23,250 vs. $23,925)
  • UW-Eau Claire graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than CUW graduates. ($240 vs. $247)
  • More UW-Eau Claire graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CUW students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 52%)

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