Guilford College vs. WCU

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

 Guilford College WCU
Location Greensboro, NC Cullowhee, NC
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 1,167 11,635
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #696 #763
Religious Affiliation Friends - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website guilford.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Guilford College WCU
Tuition (In State) $40,400 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $40,400 $5,000
Room & Board $12,900 $11,173
Avg Net Price $23,882 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $30,922 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

 Guilford College WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,397 17,917
Admitted 2,837 15,201
Acceptance Rate 83.5% 84.8%
Enrolled % 13.9% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.14 3.44
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 19/26
SAT Range 910/1180 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 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 Guilford College WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 Guilford College WCU
Graduation Rate 60% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,300 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,635 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $275 $227

Diversity

 Guilford College WCU
% Men 49% 41%
% Women 51% 59%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 79%
% Black 22% 6%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Guilford College WCU
% In-State 71% 80%
% Out-of-State 29% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than Guilford College based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 1,167 students)

Guilford College vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Guilford College or WCU?

  • Guilford College is 3,940% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($40,400.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 708% higher at Guilford College than Western Carolina University ($40,400.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Guilford College ($13,022 vs. $23,882)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 15.5% lower than costs at Guilford College ($11,173 vs. $12,900)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Guilford College as Western Carolina University (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Guilford College students is 583.2% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($30,922 vs. $4,526)

Guilford College vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at Guilford College (3.14)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than Guilford College (83.5%)

Guilford College vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Guilford College 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 Guilford College.

  • The graduation rate at Guilford College is higher than Western Carolina University (60% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Guilford College earn on average $1,200 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($40,300 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $4,625 lower median federal student loan debt than Guilford College graduates. ($22,010 vs. $26,635)
  • WCU graduates are paying $48 less per month on federal student loans than Guilford College graduates. ($227 vs. $275)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Guilford College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 51%)

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