NC State vs. Washington and Lee

Should I go to North Carolina State University at Raleigh or Washington and Lee University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NC State or Washington and Lee 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Clemson UNC Chapel Hill Virginia Tech UNC Charlotte UofSC Penn State ASU William & Mary Davidson ECU University of Richmond Ohio State
North Carolina State University at Raleigh vs. Washington and Lee University comparison
North Carolina State University at Raleigh Washington and Lee University College 3 College 4
North Carolina State University at Raleigh Washington and Lee University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

NC State Washington and Lee
Location Raleigh, NC Lexington, VA
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 36,700 2,243
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #123 #30
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ncsu.edu wlu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NC State Washington and Lee
Tuition (In State) $6,535 $60,590
Tuition (Out of State) $28,276 $60,590
Room & Board $12,748 $16,920
Avg Net Price $14,852 $24,733
Avg Grant Aid $9,181 $55,567
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 61%

Admission

NC State Washington and Lee
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 35,568 7,224
Admitted 16,779 1,225
Acceptance Rate 47.2% 17%
Enrolled % 33.5% 38.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.87
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 28/33 32/34
SAT Range 1280/1460 1410/1533
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 Jan 15, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

NC State Washington and Lee
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Social Sciences (21%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • History (7%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

NC State Washington and Lee
Graduation Rate 72% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,200 $89,000
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,782 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $214 $222

Diversity

NC State Washington and Lee
% Men 51% 49%
% Women 49% 51%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 82%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

NC State Washington and Lee
% In-State 83% 18%
% Out-of-State 14% 73%

Campus

NC State Washington and Lee
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh is larger than than Washington and Lee based on total student enrollment (36,700 students vs. 2,243 students)

NC State vs. Washington and Lee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NC State or Washington and Lee?

  • Washington and Lee University is 827.2% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($60,590.00 vs. $6,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 114.3% higher at Washington and Lee than North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($60,590.00 vs. $28,276.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than Washington and Lee ($14,852 vs. $24,733)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 32.7% lower than costs at Washington and Lee University ($12,748 vs. $16,920)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than Washington and Lee University (71% vs. 61%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington and Lee University students is 505.2% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($55,567 vs. $9,181)

NC State vs. Washington and Lee Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Washington and Lee University (1395) is 131 points higher than at NC State (1264)
  • Incoming Washington and Lee students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at NC State (29)
  • Accepted freshman Washington and Lee students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at NC State (3.83)
  • NC State has a higher acceptance rate (47.2%) than Washington and Lee (17%)

NC State vs. Washington and Lee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NC State or Washington and Lee? 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 Washington and Lee and NC State.

  • The graduation rate at Washington and Lee is higher than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (91% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Washington and Lee University earn on average $31,800 more per year than NC State graduates after ten years. ($89,000 vs. $57,200)
  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh students graduate with a $718 lower median federal student loan debt than Washington and Lee graduates. ($20,782 vs. $21,500)
  • NC State graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Washington and Lee graduates. ($214 vs. $222)
  • More Washington and Lee graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NC State students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 76%)

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