Duke vs. WCU

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

 Duke WCU
Location Durham, NC Cullowhee, NC
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 18,023 11,635
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #3 #763
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website duke.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Duke WCU
Tuition (In State) $60,435 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $60,435 $5,000
Room & Board $16,651 $11,173
Avg Net Price $23,694 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $57,444 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 42% 99%

Admission

 Duke WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 50,016 17,917
Admitted 3,174 15,201
Acceptance Rate 6.3% 84.8%
Enrolled % 55% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.44
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Average
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 19/26
SAT Range 1490/1570 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 3, 2025 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 Duke WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Human Services (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 Duke WCU
Graduation Rate 94% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $108,900 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 89% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $77 $227

Diversity

 Duke WCU
% Men 45% 41%
% Women 55% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 46% 79%
% Black 10% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 10% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 Duke WCU
% In-State 12% 80%
% Out-of-State 74% 18%

Campus

 Duke WCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Duke University is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (18,023 students vs. 11,635 students)

Duke vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Duke or WCU?

  • Duke University is 5,943.5% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($60,435.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1,108.7% higher at Duke than Western Carolina University ($60,435.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Duke ($13,022 vs. $23,694)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 49% lower than costs at Duke University ($11,173 vs. $16,651)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than Duke University (99% vs. 42%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Duke University students is 1,169.2% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($57,444 vs. $4,526)

Duke vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Duke University (1450) is 418 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming Duke students have a 11 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Duke students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than Duke (6.3%)

Duke vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Duke 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 Duke.

  • The graduation rate at Duke is higher than Western Carolina University (94% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Duke University earn on average $69,800 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($108,900 vs. $39,100)
  • Duke University students graduate with a $14,510 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($7,500 vs. $22,010)
  • Duke graduates are paying $150 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($77 vs. $227)
  • More Duke 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/