IU Southeast vs. WCU

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

 IU Southeast WCU
Location New Albany, IN Cullowhee, NC
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 3,672 11,635
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #809 #763
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ius.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IU Southeast WCU
Tuition (In State) $7,274 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $20,634 $5,000
Room & Board $11,012 $11,173
Avg Net Price $8,264 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $7,262 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 99%

Admission

 IU Southeast WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,923 17,917
Admitted 1,639 15,201
Acceptance Rate 85.2% 84.8%
Enrolled % 37% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.31 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 19/26
SAT Range 1000/1190 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

 IU Southeast WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (23%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 IU Southeast WCU
Graduation Rate 27% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,300 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,261 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $209 $227

Diversity

 IU Southeast WCU
% Men 38% 41%
% Women 62% 59%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 85% 79%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 IU Southeast WCU
% In-State 82% 80%
% Out-of-State 17% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than IU Southeast based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 3,672 students)

IU Southeast vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU Southeast or WCU?

  • Indiana University Southeast is 627.4% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($7,274.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 312.7% higher at IU Southeast than Western Carolina University ($20,634.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Southeast than WCU ($8,264 vs. $13,022)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Southeast are 1.5% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($11,012 vs. $11,173)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than Indiana University Southeast (99% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Indiana University Southeast students is 60.5% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($7,262 vs. $4,526)

IU Southeast vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Carolina University (1032) is 77 points higher than at IU Southeast (955)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at IU Southeast (21)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at IU Southeast (3.31)
  • IU Southeast has a higher acceptance rate (85.2%) than WCU (84.8%)

IU Southeast vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU Southeast 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 IU Southeast.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Indiana University Southeast (50% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from Western Carolina University earn on average $800 more per year than IU Southeast graduates after ten years. ($39,100 vs. $38,300)
  • Indiana University Southeast students graduate with a $1,749 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($20,261 vs. $22,010)
  • IU Southeast graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($209 vs. $227)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU Southeast students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 47%)

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