City College of New York vs. WCU

Should I go to CUNY City College or Western Carolina University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if City College of New York 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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CUNY City College vs. Western Carolina University comparison
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CUNY City College Western Carolina University
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Overview

 City College of New York WCU
Location New York, NY Cullowhee, NC
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 14,489 11,635
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #305 #763
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuny.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 City College of New York WCU
Tuition (In State) $6,930 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $14,880 $5,000
Room & Board $17,076 $11,173
Avg Net Price $5,181 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $9,822 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

 City College of New York WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,648 17,917
Admitted 22,410 15,201
Acceptance Rate 66.6% 84.8%
Enrolled % 12.2% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.44
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/31 19/26
SAT Range 1050/1260 1020/1240
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 City College of New York WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 City College of New York WCU
Graduation Rate 40% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,800 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,400 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $117 $227

Diversity

 City College of New York WCU
% Men 45% 41%
% Women 55% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 15% 79%
% Black 16% 6%
% Hispanic 35% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 City College of New York WCU
% In-State 90% 80%
% Out-of-State 0% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY City College is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (14,489 students vs. 11,635 students)

City College of New York vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, City College of New York or WCU?

  • CUNY City College is 593% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($6,930.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 197.6% higher at City College of New York than Western Carolina University ($14,880.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than WCU ($5,181 vs. $13,022)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 52.8% lower than costs at CUNY City College ($11,173 vs. $17,076)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY City College than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by CUNY City College students is 117% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($9,822 vs. $4,526)

City College of New York vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at CUNY City College (1125) is 93 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than City College of New York (66.6%)

City College of New York vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, City College of New York 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 City College of New York.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than CUNY City College (50% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from CUNY City College earn on average $10,700 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($49,800 vs. $39,100)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $10,610 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($11,400 vs. $22,010)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $110 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($117 vs. $227)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 52%)

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