Louisville vs. WCU

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

 Louisville WCU
Location Louisville, KY Cullowhee, NC
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 22,017 11,635
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #382 #763
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website louisville.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Louisville WCU
Tuition (In State) $12,324 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $28,670 $5,000
Room & Board $10,668 $11,173
Avg Net Price $19,327 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $12,216 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 99%

Admission

 Louisville WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,462 17,917
Admitted 12,608 15,201
Acceptance Rate 81.5% 84.8%
Enrolled % 23.2% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 19/26
SAT Range 1070/1270 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 Feb 15, 2025 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 Louisville WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 Louisville WCU
Graduation Rate 51% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,200 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,656 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $203 $227

Diversity

 Louisville WCU
% Men 44% 41%
% Women 56% 59%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 79%
% Black 11% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 Louisville WCU
% In-State 73% 80%
% Out-of-State 27% 18%

Campus

 Louisville 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

  • University of Louisville is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (22,017 students vs. 11,635 students)

Louisville vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Louisville or WCU?

  • University of Louisville is 1,132.4% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($12,324.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 473.4% higher at Louisville than Western Carolina University ($28,670.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Louisville ($13,022 vs. $19,327)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Louisville are 4.7% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($10,668 vs. $11,173)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than University of Louisville (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Louisville students is 169.9% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($12,216 vs. $4,526)

Louisville vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Louisville (1159) is 127 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming Louisville students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Louisville students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than Louisville (81.5%)

Louisville vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Louisville 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 Louisville.

  • The graduation rate at Louisville is higher than Western Carolina University (51% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from University of Louisville earn on average $6,100 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($45,200 vs. $39,100)
  • University of Louisville students graduate with a $2,354 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($19,656 vs. $22,010)
  • Louisville graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($203 vs. $227)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Louisville students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 58%)

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