Piedmont College vs. WCU

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

Piedmont College WCU
Location Demorest, GA Cullowhee, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,843 11,635
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #522 #763
Religious Affiliation United Church of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website piedmont.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Piedmont College WCU
Tuition (In State) $28,970 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $28,970 $5,000
Room & Board $11,562 $11,173
Avg Net Price $18,792 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $24,065 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Piedmont College WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,331 17,917
Admitted 1,500 15,201
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 84.8%
Enrolled % 20.1% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 19/26
SAT Range 990/1200 1020/1240
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 Jul 15, 2025 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

Piedmont College WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (40%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (4%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

Piedmont College WCU
Graduation Rate 46% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,000 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,736 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $245 $227

Diversity

Piedmont College WCU
% Men 28% 41%
% Women 72% 59%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 79%
% Black 9% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 10% 1%

Students

Piedmont College WCU
% In-State 85% 80%
% Out-of-State 14% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than Piedmont College based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 1,843 students)

Piedmont College vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Piedmont College or WCU?

  • Piedmont College is 2,797% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($28,970.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 479.4% higher at Piedmont College than Western Carolina University ($28,970.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Piedmont College ($13,022 vs. $18,792)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 3.5% lower than costs at Piedmont College ($11,173 vs. $11,562)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Piedmont College than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Piedmont College students is 431.7% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($24,065 vs. $4,526)

Piedmont College vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Carolina University (1032) is 37 points higher than at Piedmont College (995)
  • Incoming Piedmont College students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Piedmont College students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than Piedmont College (64.4%)

Piedmont College vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Piedmont 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 Piedmont College.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Piedmont College (50% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Piedmont College earn on average $1,900 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($41,000 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $1,726 lower median federal student loan debt than Piedmont College graduates. ($22,010 vs. $23,736)
  • WCU graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Piedmont College graduates. ($227 vs. $245)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Piedmont College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 44%)

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