North Carolina Wesleyan College vs. WCU

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

 North Carolina Wesleyan College WCU
Location Rocky Mount, NC Cullowhee, NC
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 1,337 11,635
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #930 #763
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ncwc.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 North Carolina Wesleyan College WCU
Tuition (In State) $33,952 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $33,952 $5,000
Room & Board $12,264 $11,173
Avg Net Price $18,701 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $28,392 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 99%

Admission

 North Carolina Wesleyan College WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,379 17,917
Admitted 1,628 15,201
Acceptance Rate 68.4% 84.8%
Enrolled % 15.3% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.2 3.44
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/21 19/26
SAT Range 860/1120 1020/1240
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 North Carolina Wesleyan College WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (41%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (10%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 North Carolina Wesleyan College WCU
Graduation Rate 22% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,200 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 39% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,718 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $234 $227

Diversity

 North Carolina Wesleyan College WCU
% Men 49% 41%
% Women 51% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 32% 79%
% Black 46% 6%
% Hispanic 2% 6%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 5% 1%
% Unknown Race 11% 1%

Students

 North Carolina Wesleyan College WCU
% In-State 60% 80%
% Out-of-State 22% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than North Carolina Wesleyan College based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 1,337 students)

North Carolina Wesleyan College vs. WCU Cost Comparison

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

  • North Carolina Wesleyan College is 3,295.2% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($33,952.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 579% higher at North Carolina Wesleyan College than Western Carolina University ($33,952.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than North Carolina Wesleyan College ($13,022 vs. $18,701)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 9.8% lower than costs at North Carolina Wesleyan College ($11,173 vs. $12,264)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than North Carolina Wesleyan College (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by North Carolina Wesleyan College students is 527.3% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($28,392 vs. $4,526)

North Carolina Wesleyan College vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Carolina University (1032) is 154 points higher than at North Carolina Wesleyan College (878)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at North Carolina Wesleyan College (19)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at North Carolina Wesleyan College (3.2)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than North Carolina Wesleyan College (68.4%)

North Carolina Wesleyan College vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, North Carolina Wesleyan College 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 North Carolina Wesleyan College.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than North Carolina Wesleyan College (50% vs. 22%)
  • Graduates from North Carolina Wesleyan College earn on average $4,100 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($43,200 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $708 lower median federal student loan debt than North Carolina Wesleyan College graduates. ($22,010 vs. $22,718)
  • WCU graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than North Carolina Wesleyan College graduates. ($227 vs. $234)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former North Carolina Wesleyan College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 39%)

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