UM-Dearborn vs. WCU

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

 UM-Dearborn WCU
Location Dearborn, MI Cullowhee, NC
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 8,035 11,628
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #405 #742
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umich.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UM-Dearborn WCU
Tuition (In State) $14,544 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $30,960 $5,000
Room & Board $10,803 $11,764
Avg Net Price $12,798 $12,252
Avg Grant Aid $9,552 $5,442
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 99%

Admission

 UM-Dearborn WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,373 18,183
Admitted 7,254 15,758
Acceptance Rate 58.6% 86.7%
Enrolled % 15.9% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/30 20/26
SAT Range 990/1260 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 Apr 1, 2026 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

 UM-Dearborn WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 UM-Dearborn WCU
Graduation Rate 49% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,800 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,750 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $266 $227

Diversity

 UM-Dearborn WCU
% Men 15% 4%
% Women 9% 10%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 79%
% Black 9% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 UM-Dearborn WCU
% In-State 93% 78%
% Out-of-State 3% 19%

Campus

 UM-Dearborn WCU
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than UM-Dearborn based on total student enrollment (11,628 students vs. 8,035 students)

UM-Dearborn vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UM-Dearborn or WCU?

  • University of Michigan Dearborn is 1,354.4% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($14,544.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 519.2% higher at UM-Dearborn than Western Carolina University ($30,960.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than UM-Dearborn ($12,252 vs. $12,798)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Michigan Dearborn are 8.9% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($10,803 vs. $11,764)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than University of Michigan Dearborn (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Michigan Dearborn students is 75.5% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($9,552 vs. $5,442)

UM-Dearborn vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Michigan Dearborn (1105) is 73 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming UM-Dearborn students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman UM-Dearborn students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than UM-Dearborn (58.6%)

UM-Dearborn vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UM-Dearborn 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 UM-Dearborn.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than University of Michigan Dearborn (50% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from University of Michigan Dearborn earn on average $13,700 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($52,800 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $3,740 lower median federal student loan debt than UM-Dearborn graduates. ($22,010 vs. $25,750)
  • WCU graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than UM-Dearborn graduates. ($227 vs. $266)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UM-Dearborn students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 46%)

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