Union College vs. UVa-Wise

Should I go to Union College or The University of Virginia's College at Wise? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Union College or UVa-Wise 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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Union College vs. The University of Virginia's College at Wise comparison
Union College The University of Virginia's College at Wise College 3 College 4
Union College The University of Virginia's College at Wise
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Overview

 Union College UVa-Wise
Location Barbourville, KY Wise, VA
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,129 1,911
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #980 #765
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unionky.edu uvawise.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Union College UVa-Wise
Tuition (In State) $28,737 $6,040
Tuition (Out of State) $28,737 $26,182
Room & Board $8,261 $12,535
Avg Net Price $19,223 $10,409
Avg Grant Aid $24,684 $13,702
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

 Union College UVa-Wise
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 834 1,414
Admitted 459 1,328
Acceptance Rate 55% 93.9%
Enrolled % 43.1% 21.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.15 3.57
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/21 20/25
SAT Range 920/1105 935/1175
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 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 Union College UVa-Wise
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (24%)
  • Psychology (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Social Sciences (28%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (21%)
  • Business (17%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

 Union College UVa-Wise
Graduation Rate 32% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,800 $42,100
Making Student Loan Payments 42% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $20,827
Median Loan Payment $248 $215

Diversity

 Union College UVa-Wise
% Men 21% 14%
% Women 14% 22%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 78%
% Black 12% 12%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 0%
% International 8% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

 Union College UVa-Wise
% In-State 58% 74%
% Out-of-State 28% 25%

Campus

 Union College UVa-Wise
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Virginia's College at Wise is larger than than Union College based on total student enrollment (1,911 students vs. 1,129 students)

Union College vs. UVa-Wise Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Union College or UVa-Wise?

  • Union College is 375.8% more expensive to attend than UVa-Wise for in-state tuition ($28,737.00 vs. $6,040.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.8% higher at Union College than The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($28,737.00 vs. $26,182.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than Union College ($10,409 vs. $19,223)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Union College are 51.7% lower than costs at The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($8,261 vs. $12,535)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Virginia's College at Wise than Union College (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Union College students is 80.1% larger than aid received The University of Virginia's College at Wise ($24,684 vs. $13,702)

Union College vs. UVa-Wise Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Union College (970) is 28 points higher than at UVa-Wise (942)
  • Incoming Union College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at UVa-Wise (20)
  • Accepted freshman UVa-Wise students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at Union College (3.15)
  • UVa-Wise has a higher acceptance rate (93.9%) than Union College (55%)

Union College vs. UVa-Wise Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Union College or UVa-Wise? 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 UVa-Wise and Union College.

  • The graduation rate at UVa-Wise is higher than Union College (39% vs. 32%)
  • Graduates from The University of Virginia's College at Wise earn on average $7,300 more per year than Union College graduates after ten years. ($42,100 vs. $34,800)
  • The University of Virginia's College at Wise students graduate with a $3,173 lower median federal student loan debt than Union College graduates. ($20,827 vs. $24,000)
  • UVa-Wise graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than Union College graduates. ($215 vs. $248)
  • More UVa-Wise graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Union College students, three years after graduation. (57% vs. 42%)

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