SUNY Cortland vs. WCU

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

 SUNY Cortland WCU
Location Cortland, NY Cullowhee, NC
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 6,690 11,635
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #399 #763
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cortland.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SUNY Cortland WCU
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $5,000
Room & Board $13,620 $11,173
Avg Net Price $18,304 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $9,369 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 99%

Admission

 SUNY Cortland WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,711 17,917
Admitted 7,001 15,201
Acceptance Rate 59.8% 84.8%
Enrolled % 19.2% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.44
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/27 19/26
SAT Range 1090/1240 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

 SUNY Cortland WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (41%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (16%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Health Professions (5%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 SUNY Cortland WCU
Graduation Rate 67% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,300 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 75% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $222 $227

Diversity

 SUNY Cortland WCU
% Men 44% 41%
% Women 56% 59%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 79%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

 SUNY Cortland WCU
% In-State 96% 80%
% Out-of-State 4% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than SUNY Cortland based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 6,690 students)

SUNY Cortland vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY Cortland or WCU?

  • SUNY College at Cortland is 607% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($7,070.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 239.6% higher at SUNY Cortland than Western Carolina University ($16,980.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than SUNY Cortland ($13,022 vs. $18,304)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 21.9% lower than costs at SUNY College at Cortland ($11,173 vs. $13,620)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than SUNY College at Cortland (99% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY College at Cortland students is 107% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($9,369 vs. $4,526)

SUNY Cortland vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman SUNY Cortland students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than SUNY Cortland (59.8%)

SUNY Cortland vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY Cortland 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 SUNY Cortland.

  • The graduation rate at SUNY Cortland is higher than Western Carolina University (67% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from SUNY College at Cortland earn on average $8,200 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($47,300 vs. $39,100)
  • SUNY College at Cortland students graduate with a $510 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,010)
  • SUNY Cortland graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($222 vs. $227)
  • More SUNY Cortland graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 58%)

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