North Carolina Wesleyan College vs. Shaw University

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

North Carolina Wesleyan College Shaw University
Location Rocky Mount, NC Raleigh, NC
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 1,337 1,067
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #930
Religious Affiliation United Methodist Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ncwc.edu shawu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

North Carolina Wesleyan College Shaw University
Tuition (In State) $33,952 $11,808
Tuition (Out of State) $33,952 $11,808
Room & Board $12,264 $8,514
Avg Net Price $18,701 $14,204
Avg Grant Aid $28,392 $15,548
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 87%

Admission

North Carolina Wesleyan College Shaw University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,379 2,435
Admitted 1,628 1,486
Acceptance Rate 68.4% 61%
Enrolled % 15.3% 13.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 2.6
Typical High School Grades B C+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 15/21
SAT Range 860/1120
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 30, 2025

Academics

North Carolina Wesleyan College Shaw University
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (41%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (10%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Human Services (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

North Carolina Wesleyan College Shaw University
Graduation Rate 22% 27%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,200 $29,000
Making Student Loan Payments 39% 15%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,718 $38,000
Median Loan Payment $234 $392

Diversity

North Carolina Wesleyan College Shaw University
% Men 49% 47%
% Women 51% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No Yes
% White 32% 1%
% Black 46% 58%
% Hispanic 2% 0%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 5% 2%
% Unknown Race 11% 39%

Students

North Carolina Wesleyan College Shaw University
% In-State 60% 55%
% Out-of-State 22% 34%

Campus

North Carolina Wesleyan College Shaw University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • North Carolina Wesleyan College is larger than than Shaw University based on total student enrollment (1,337 students vs. 1,067 students)

North Carolina Wesleyan College vs. Shaw University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, North Carolina Wesleyan College or Shaw University?

  • North Carolina Wesleyan College is 187.5% more expensive to attend than Shaw University for in-state tuition ($33,952.00 vs. $11,808.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 187.5% higher at North Carolina Wesleyan College than Shaw University ($33,952.00 vs. $11,808.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Shaw University than North Carolina Wesleyan College ($14,204 vs. $18,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shaw University are 44% lower than costs at North Carolina Wesleyan College ($8,514 vs. $12,264)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina Wesleyan College than Shaw University (96% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by North Carolina Wesleyan College students is 82.6% larger than aid received Shaw University ($28,392 vs. $15,548)

North Carolina Wesleyan College vs. Shaw University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman North Carolina Wesleyan College students have a 0.6 point higher average high school GPA (3.2) than students at Shaw University (2.6)
  • North Carolina Wesleyan College has a higher acceptance rate (68.4%) than Shaw University (61%)

North Carolina Wesleyan College vs. Shaw University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, North Carolina Wesleyan College or Shaw University? 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 Shaw University and North Carolina Wesleyan College.

  • The graduation rate at Shaw University is higher than North Carolina Wesleyan College (27% vs. 22%)
  • Graduates from North Carolina Wesleyan College earn on average $14,200 more per year than Shaw University graduates after ten years. ($43,200 vs. $29,000)
  • North Carolina Wesleyan College students graduate with a $15,282 lower median federal student loan debt than Shaw University graduates. ($22,718 vs. $38,000)
  • North Carolina Wesleyan College graduates are paying $158 less per month on federal student loans than Shaw University graduates. ($234 vs. $392)
  • More North Carolina Wesleyan College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shaw University students, three years after graduation. (39% vs. 15%)

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