SCAD vs. WCU

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

 SCAD WCU
Location Savannah, GA Cullowhee, NC
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 16,414 11,635
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #765 #763
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website scad.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SCAD WCU
Tuition (In State) $39,105 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $39,105 $5,000
Room & Board $15,594 $11,173
Avg Net Price $45,976 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $13,157 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 99%

Admission

 SCAD WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,387 17,917
Admitted 11,759 15,201
Acceptance Rate 81.7% 84.8%
Enrolled % 29.5% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/28 19/26
SAT Range 1060/1280 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 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 SCAD WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (74%)
  • Communications Technology (13%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (3%)
  • Communication (3%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 SCAD WCU
Graduation Rate 64% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,800 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $279 $227

Diversity

 SCAD WCU
% Men 30% 41%
% Women 70% 59%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 54% 79%
% Black 12% 6%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 15% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 SCAD WCU
% In-State 16% 80%
% Out-of-State 72% 18%

Campus

 SCAD 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

  • Savannah College of Art and Design is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (16,414 students vs. 11,635 students)

SCAD vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SCAD or WCU?

  • Savannah College of Art and Design is 3,810.5% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($39,105.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 682.1% higher at SCAD than Western Carolina University ($39,105.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than SCAD ($13,022 vs. $45,976)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 39.6% lower than costs at Savannah College of Art and Design ($11,173 vs. $15,594)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than Savannah College of Art and Design (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Savannah College of Art and Design students is 190.7% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($13,157 vs. $4,526)

SCAD vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Savannah College of Art and Design (1064) is 32 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming SCAD students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman SCAD students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than SCAD (81.7%)

SCAD vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SCAD 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 SCAD.

  • The graduation rate at SCAD is higher than Western Carolina University (64% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Savannah College of Art and Design earn on average $700 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($39,800 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $4,990 lower median federal student loan debt than SCAD graduates. ($22,010 vs. $27,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than SCAD graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCAD students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 55%)

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