SUNY College at Plattsburgh vs. WCU

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

 SUNY College at Plattsburgh WCU
Location Plattsburgh, NY Cullowhee, NC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 4,417 11,628
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #478 #742
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website plattsburgh.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SUNY College at Plattsburgh WCU
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $5,000
Room & Board $16,570 $11,764
Avg Net Price $15,982 $12,252
Avg Grant Aid $11,162 $5,442
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 99%

Admission

 SUNY College at Plattsburgh WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,410 18,183
Admitted 6,323 15,758
Acceptance Rate 75.2% 86.7%
Enrolled % 12.5% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.11 3.44
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26
SAT Range 1100/1270 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 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

 SUNY College at Plattsburgh WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 SUNY College at Plattsburgh WCU
Graduation Rate 59% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,000 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $227 $227

Diversity

 SUNY College at Plattsburgh WCU
% Men 3% 4%
% Women 9% 10%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 68% 79%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 SUNY College at Plattsburgh WCU
% In-State 92% 78%
% Out-of-State 5% 19%

Campus

 SUNY College at Plattsburgh 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 Plattsburgh based on total student enrollment (11,628 students vs. 4,417 students)

SUNY College at Plattsburgh vs. WCU Cost Comparison

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

  • SUNY College at Plattsburgh 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 Plattsburgh 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 Plattsburgh ($12,252 vs. $15,982)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 40.9% lower than costs at SUNY College at Plattsburgh ($11,764 vs. $16,570)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than SUNY College at Plattsburgh (99% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY College at Plattsburgh students is 105.1% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($11,162 vs. $5,442)

SUNY College at Plattsburgh vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY College at Plattsburgh (1086) is 54 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming SUNY College at Plattsburgh students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at SUNY College at Plattsburgh (3.11)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than SUNY College at Plattsburgh (75.2%)

SUNY College at Plattsburgh vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY College at Plattsburgh 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 Plattsburgh.

  • The graduation rate at SUNY College at Plattsburgh is higher than Western Carolina University (59% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from SUNY College at Plattsburgh earn on average $4,900 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($44,000 vs. $39,100)
  • SUNY College at Plattsburgh students graduate with a $10 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($22,000 vs. $22,010)
  • Western Carolina University and SUNY College at Plattsburgh graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($227 vs. $227)
  • More SUNY College at Plattsburgh graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 58%)

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