FLC vs. WCU

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

 FLC WCU
Location Durango, CO Cullowhee, NC
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 3,400 11,635
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #818 #763
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fortlewis.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 FLC WCU
Tuition (In State) $7,200 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $17,712 $5,000
Room & Board $12,554 $11,173
Avg Net Price $15,685 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $14,215 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 99%

Admission

 FLC WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,942 17,917
Admitted 4,496 15,201
Acceptance Rate 91% 84.8%
Enrolled % 19% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 19/26
SAT Range 1060/1260 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

 FLC WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 FLC WCU
Graduation Rate 37% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,000 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $201 $227

Diversity

 FLC WCU
% Men 45% 41%
% Women 55% 59%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 79%
% Black 1% 6%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 25% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 FLC WCU
% In-State 38% 80%
% Out-of-State 61% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than FLC based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 3,400 students)

FLC vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FLC or WCU?

  • Fort Lewis College is 620% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($7,200.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 254.2% higher at FLC than Western Carolina University ($17,712.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than FLC ($13,022 vs. $15,685)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 12.4% lower than costs at Fort Lewis College ($11,173 vs. $12,554)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than Fort Lewis College (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Fort Lewis College students is 214.1% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($14,215 vs. $4,526)

FLC vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Carolina University (1032) is 20 points higher than at FLC (1012)
  • Incoming FLC students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at FLC (3.3)
  • FLC has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than WCU (84.8%)

FLC vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, FLC 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 FLC.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Fort Lewis College (50% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Western Carolina University earn on average $100 more per year than FLC graduates after ten years. ($39,100 vs. $39,000)
  • Fort Lewis College students graduate with a $2,510 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $22,010)
  • FLC graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($201 vs. $227)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FLC students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 57%)

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