SUNY College at Oswego vs. WCU

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

SUNY College at Oswego WCU
Location Oswego, NY Cullowhee, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 6,756 11,628
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #472 #742
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website oswego.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SUNY College at Oswego WCU
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $5,000
Room & Board $15,440 $11,764
Avg Net Price $16,923 $12,252
Avg Grant Aid $10,518 $5,442
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 99%

Admission

SUNY College at Oswego WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,465 18,183
Admitted 11,629 15,758
Acceptance Rate 80.4% 86.7%
Enrolled % 10.2% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.49 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/27 20/26
SAT Range 1060/1270 1050/1260
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 Jan 15, 2026 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

SUNY College at Oswego WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (22%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

SUNY College at Oswego WCU
Graduation Rate 57% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,800 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,515 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $222 $227

Diversity

SUNY College at Oswego WCU
% Men 7% 4%
% Women 10% 10%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 79%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

SUNY College at Oswego WCU
% In-State 96% 78%
% Out-of-State 3% 19%

Campus

SUNY College at Oswego WCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No 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 College at Oswego based on total student enrollment (11,628 students vs. 6,756 students)

SUNY College at Oswego vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY College at Oswego or WCU?

  • SUNY College at Oswego 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 College at Oswego 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 College at Oswego ($12,252 vs. $16,923)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 31.2% lower than costs at SUNY College at Oswego ($11,764 vs. $15,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than SUNY College at Oswego (99% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY College at Oswego students is 93.3% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($10,518 vs. $5,442)

SUNY College at Oswego vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY College at Oswego (1103) is 71 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming SUNY College at Oswego students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman SUNY College at Oswego students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.49) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than SUNY College at Oswego (80.4%)

SUNY College at Oswego vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY College at Oswego 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 College at Oswego.

  • The graduation rate at SUNY College at Oswego is higher than Western Carolina University (57% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from SUNY College at Oswego earn on average $5,700 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($44,800 vs. $39,100)
  • SUNY College at Oswego students graduate with a $495 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($21,515 vs. $22,010)
  • SUNY College at Oswego graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($222 vs. $227)
  • More SUNY College at Oswego graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 58%)

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