Davidson vs. WCU

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

 Davidson WCU
Location Davidson, NC Cullowhee, NC
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 1,927 11,635
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #37 #763
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website davidson.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Davidson WCU
Tuition (In State) $56,550 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $56,550 $5,000
Room & Board $15,750 $11,173
Avg Net Price $26,704 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $46,496 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 65% 99%

Admission

 Davidson WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,479 17,917
Admitted 1,098 15,201
Acceptance Rate 16.9% 84.8%
Enrolled % 49.4% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.44
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Average
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 31/33 19/26
SAT Range 1350/1500 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 Jan 7, 2025 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 Davidson WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Foreign Languages (11%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 Davidson WCU
Graduation Rate 92% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $63,500 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $175 $227

Diversity

 Davidson WCU
% Men 47% 41%
% Women 53% 59%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 68% 79%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Davidson WCU
% In-State 17% 80%
% Out-of-State 71% 18%

Campus

 Davidson 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

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than Davidson based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 1,927 students)

Davidson vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Davidson or WCU?

  • Davidson College is 5,555% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($56,550.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1,031% higher at Davidson than Western Carolina University ($56,550.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Davidson ($13,022 vs. $26,704)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 41% lower than costs at Davidson College ($11,173 vs. $15,750)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than Davidson College (99% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Davidson College students is 927.3% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($46,496 vs. $4,526)

Davidson vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Davidson College (1355) is 323 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming Davidson students have a 9 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Davidson students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than Davidson (16.9%)

Davidson vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Davidson 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 Davidson.

  • The graduation rate at Davidson is higher than Western Carolina University (92% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Davidson College earn on average $24,400 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($63,500 vs. $39,100)
  • Davidson College students graduate with a $5,010 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($17,000 vs. $22,010)
  • Davidson graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($175 vs. $227)
  • More Davidson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 58%)

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