Paine College vs. WSSU

Should I go to Paine College or Winston Salem State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Paine College or WSSU 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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Paine College vs. Winston Salem State University comparison
Paine College Winston Salem State University College 3 College 4
Winston Salem State University
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Overview

Paine College WSSU
Location Augusta, GA Winston-Salem, NC
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 310 5,004
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #956
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website paine.edu wssu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Paine College WSSU
Tuition (In State) $12,706 $3,401
Tuition (Out of State) $12,706 $14,057
Room & Board $7,512 $11,220
Avg Net Price $15,877 $14,097
Avg Grant Aid $11,755 $8,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 86%

Admission

Paine College WSSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,302 7,628
Admitted 1,701 5,598
Acceptance Rate 51.5% 73.4%
Enrolled % 5.3% 15.3%
Avg High School GPA 2.81 3.01
Typical High School Grades B- B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 15/19 14/19
SAT Range 776/976 830/1050
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 1, 2025 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

Paine College WSSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (16%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)

Outcomes

Paine College WSSU
Graduation Rate 27% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $28,400 $35,700
Making Student Loan Payments 15% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $35,750 $25,663
Median Loan Payment $369 $265

Diversity

Paine College WSSU
% Men 43% 24%
% Women 57% 76%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU Yes Yes
% White 2% 16%
% Black 89% 72%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Paine College WSSU
% In-State 71% 82%
% Out-of-State 28% 16%

Campus

Paine College WSSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Winston Salem State University is larger than than Paine College based on total student enrollment (5,004 students vs. 310 students)

Paine College vs. WSSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Paine College or WSSU?

  • Paine College is 273.6% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($12,706.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.6% higher at WSSU than Paine College ($14,057.00 vs. $12,706.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Winston Salem State University than Paine College ($14,097 vs. $15,877)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Paine College are 49.4% lower than costs at Winston Salem State University ($7,512 vs. $11,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Paine College than Winston Salem State University (100% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Paine College students is 40.8% larger than aid received Winston Salem State University ($11,755 vs. $8,350)

Paine College vs. WSSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Winston Salem State University (870) is 121 points higher than at Paine College (749)
  • Incoming WSSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (18) than students at Paine College (16)
  • Accepted freshman WSSU students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.01) than students at Paine College (2.81)
  • WSSU has a higher acceptance rate (73.4%) than Paine College (51.5%)

Paine College vs. WSSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Paine College or WSSU? 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 WSSU and Paine College.

  • The graduation rate at WSSU is higher than Paine College (41% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from Winston Salem State University earn on average $7,300 more per year than Paine College graduates after ten years. ($35,700 vs. $28,400)
  • Winston Salem State University students graduate with a $10,087 lower median federal student loan debt than Paine College graduates. ($25,663 vs. $35,750)
  • WSSU graduates are paying $104 less per month on federal student loans than Paine College graduates. ($265 vs. $369)
  • More WSSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Paine College students, three years after graduation. (33% vs. 15%)

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