North Carolina Central University vs. Wake Forest

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

North Carolina Central University Wake Forest
Location Durham, NC Winston Salem, NC
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 7,553 8,963
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #940
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nccu.edu wfu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

North Carolina Central University Wake Forest
Tuition (In State) $3,728 $61,012
Tuition (Out of State) $16,764 $61,012
Room & Board $11,864 $16,652
Avg Net Price $13,708 $26,197
Avg Grant Aid $16,168 $54,233
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 29%

Admission

North Carolina Central University Wake Forest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,423 16,857
Admitted 7,107 3,602
Acceptance Rate 84.4% 21.4%
Enrolled % 15.2% 38%
Avg High School GPA 3.27 -
Typical High School Grades B -
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 15/23
SAT Range 810/1130
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 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

North Carolina Central University Wake Forest
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

North Carolina Central University Wake Forest
Graduation Rate 38% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,200 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 23% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $31,000 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $320 $237

Diversity

North Carolina Central University Wake Forest
% Men 30% 43%
% Women 70% 57%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 6% 72%
% Black 81% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 0% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

North Carolina Central University Wake Forest
% In-State 65% 14%
% Out-of-State 29% 77%

Campus

North Carolina Central University Wake Forest
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Wake Forest University is larger than than North Carolina Central University based on total student enrollment (8,963 students vs. 7,553 students)

North Carolina Central University vs. Wake Forest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, North Carolina Central University or Wake Forest?

  • Wake Forest University is 1,536.6% more expensive to attend than North Carolina Central University for in-state tuition ($61,012.00 vs. $3,728.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 263.9% higher at Wake Forest than North Carolina Central University ($61,012.00 vs. $16,764.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina Central University than Wake Forest ($13,708 vs. $26,197)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina Central University are 40.4% lower than costs at Wake Forest University ($11,864 vs. $16,652)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina Central University than Wake Forest University (96% vs. 29%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 235.4% larger than aid received North Carolina Central University ($54,233 vs. $16,168)

North Carolina Central University vs. Wake Forest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, North Carolina Central University or Wake Forest? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Wake Forest or North Carolina Central University .

  • North Carolina Central University has a higher acceptance rate (84.4%) than Wake Forest (21.4%)

North Carolina Central University vs. Wake Forest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, North Carolina Central University or Wake Forest? 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 Wake Forest and North Carolina Central University.

  • The graduation rate at Wake Forest is higher than North Carolina Central University (88% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Wake Forest University earn on average $42,000 more per year than North Carolina Central University graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $35,200)
  • Wake Forest University students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than North Carolina Central University graduates. ($23,000 vs. $31,000)
  • Wake Forest graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than North Carolina Central University graduates. ($237 vs. $320)
  • More Wake Forest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former North Carolina Central University students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 23%)

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