KWC vs. WCU

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

 KWC WCU
Location Owensboro, KY Cullowhee, NC
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 813 11,635
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #763
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website kwc.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 KWC WCU
Tuition (In State) $30,040 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $30,040 $5,000
Room & Board $11,175 $11,173
Avg Net Price $20,735 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $20,036 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

 KWC WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,434 17,917
Admitted 983 15,201
Acceptance Rate 68.5% 84.8%
Enrolled % 22.4% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23 19/26
SAT Range 980/1210 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

 KWC WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 KWC WCU
Graduation Rate 44% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,500 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,907 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $236 $227

Diversity

 KWC WCU
% Men 51% 41%
% Women 49% 59%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 79%
% Black 15% 6%
% Hispanic 1% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 9% 1%

Students

 KWC WCU
% In-State 67% 80%
% Out-of-State 32% 18%

Campus

 KWC 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

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than KWC based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 813 students)

KWC vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KWC or WCU?

  • Kentucky Wesleyan College is 2,904% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($30,040.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 500.8% higher at KWC than Western Carolina University ($30,040.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than KWC ($13,022 vs. $20,735)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 0% lower than costs at Kentucky Wesleyan College ($11,173 vs. $11,175)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kentucky Wesleyan College than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kentucky Wesleyan College students is 342.7% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($20,036 vs. $4,526)

KWC vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Kentucky Wesleyan College (1048) is 16 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming KWC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at KWC (3.3)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than KWC (68.5%)

KWC vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, KWC 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 KWC.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Kentucky Wesleyan College (50% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Western Carolina University earn on average $600 more per year than KWC graduates after ten years. ($39,100 vs. $38,500)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $897 lower median federal student loan debt than KWC graduates. ($22,010 vs. $22,907)
  • WCU graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than KWC graduates. ($227 vs. $236)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KWC students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 54%)

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