UMass Dartmouth vs. WCU

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

 UMass Dartmouth WCU
Location North Dartmouth, MA Cullowhee, NC
Setting Midsize Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 7,457 11,635
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #456 #763
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umassd.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMass Dartmouth WCU
Tuition (In State) $14,179 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $30,317 $5,000
Room & Board $16,493 $11,173
Avg Net Price $19,700 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $10,055 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 99%

Admission

 UMass Dartmouth WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,837 17,917
Admitted 8,441 15,201
Acceptance Rate 95.5% 84.8%
Enrolled % 15.6% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/31 19/26
SAT Range 1020/1260 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

 UMass Dartmouth WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (31%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 UMass Dartmouth WCU
Graduation Rate 48% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,000 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,760 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $266 $227

Diversity

 UMass Dartmouth WCU
% Men 48% 41%
% Women 52% 59%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 64% 79%
% Black 14% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

 UMass Dartmouth WCU
% In-State 87% 80%
% Out-of-State 12% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than UMass Dartmouth based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 7,457 students)

UMass Dartmouth vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMass Dartmouth or WCU?

  • University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is 1,317.9% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($14,179.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 506.3% higher at UMass Dartmouth than Western Carolina University ($30,317.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than UMass Dartmouth ($13,022 vs. $19,700)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 47.6% lower than costs at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth ($11,173 vs. $16,493)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Massachusetts Dartmouth students is 122.2% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($10,055 vs. $4,526)

UMass Dartmouth vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Carolina University (1032) is 7 points higher than at UMass Dartmouth (1025)
  • Incoming UMass Dartmouth students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at UMass Dartmouth (3.37)
  • UMass Dartmouth has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than WCU (84.8%)

UMass Dartmouth vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMass Dartmouth 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 UMass Dartmouth.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (50% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from University of Massachusetts Dartmouth earn on average $9,900 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($49,000 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than UMass Dartmouth graduates. ($22,010 vs. $25,760)
  • WCU graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than UMass Dartmouth graduates. ($227 vs. $266)
  • More UMass Dartmouth graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 58%)

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