Eastern vs. WCU

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

 Eastern WCU
Location Richmond, KY Cullowhee, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 14,324 11,635
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #854 #763
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eku.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Eastern WCU
Tuition (In State) $9,544 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $19,922 $5,000
Room & Board $10,360 $11,173
Avg Net Price $10,806 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $10,583 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 99%

Admission

 Eastern WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,821 17,917
Admitted 10,174 15,201
Acceptance Rate 64.3% 84.8%
Enrolled % 26.9% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24 19/26
SAT Range 940/1185 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 Aug 1, 2025 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 Eastern WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 Eastern WCU
Graduation Rate 38% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,695 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $245 $227

Diversity

 Eastern WCU
% Men 39% 41%
% Women 61% 59%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 85% 79%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Eastern WCU
% In-State 91% 80%
% Out-of-State 9% 18%

Campus

 Eastern 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

  • Eastern Kentucky University is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (14,324 students vs. 11,635 students)

Eastern vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Eastern or WCU?

  • Eastern Kentucky University is 854.4% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($9,544.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 298.4% higher at Eastern than Western Carolina University ($19,922.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than WCU ($10,806 vs. $13,022)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Eastern Kentucky University are 7.8% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($10,360 vs. $11,173)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than Eastern Kentucky University (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Kentucky University students is 133.8% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($10,583 vs. $4,526)

Eastern vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Carolina University (1032) is 4 points higher than at Eastern (1028)
  • Incoming Eastern students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at Eastern (3.39)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than Eastern (64.3%)

Eastern vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Eastern 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 Eastern.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Eastern Kentucky University (50% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Western Carolina University earn on average $1,200 more per year than Eastern graduates after ten years. ($39,100 vs. $37,900)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $1,685 lower median federal student loan debt than Eastern graduates. ($22,010 vs. $23,695)
  • WCU graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Eastern graduates. ($227 vs. $245)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Eastern students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 49%)

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