University of North Carolina at Asheville vs. Wake Forest

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

University of North Carolina at Asheville Wake Forest
Location Asheville, NC Winston Salem, NC
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 2,925 9,121
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #420 #44
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unca.edu wfu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of North Carolina at Asheville Wake Forest
Tuition (In State) $4,122 $63,608
Tuition (Out of State) $21,470 $63,608
Room & Board $11,018 $17,848
Avg Net Price $14,175 $27,790
Avg Grant Aid $6,856 $55,090
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 34%

Admission

University of North Carolina at Asheville Wake Forest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,465 17,479
Admitted 5,131 3,768
Acceptance Rate 93.9% 21.6%
Enrolled % 12.3% 36.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.49 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 22/29 32/34
SAT Range 1170/1350 1390/1510
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 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

University of North Carolina at Asheville Wake Forest
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Business (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

University of North Carolina at Asheville Wake Forest
Graduation Rate 61% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,641 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $213 $237

Diversity

University of North Carolina at Asheville Wake Forest
% Men 0% 16%
% Women 1% 24%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 72%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

University of North Carolina at Asheville Wake Forest
% In-State 81% 15%
% Out-of-State 17% 76%

Campus

University of North Carolina at Asheville Wake Forest
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

  • Wake Forest University is larger than than University of North Carolina at Asheville based on total student enrollment (9,121 students vs. 2,925 students)

University of North Carolina at Asheville vs. Wake Forest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of North Carolina at Asheville or Wake Forest?

  • Wake Forest University is 1,443.1% more expensive to attend than University of North Carolina at Asheville for in-state tuition ($63,608.00 vs. $4,122.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 196.3% higher at Wake Forest than University of North Carolina at Asheville ($63,608.00 vs. $21,470.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Asheville than Wake Forest ($14,175 vs. $27,790)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Asheville are 62% lower than costs at Wake Forest University ($11,018 vs. $17,848)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of North Carolina at Asheville than Wake Forest University (91% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 703.5% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Asheville ($55,090 vs. $6,856)

University of North Carolina at Asheville vs. Wake Forest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University of North Carolina at Asheville or Wake Forest? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Wake Forest or University of North Carolina at Asheville .

  • University of North Carolina at Asheville has a higher acceptance rate (93.9%) than Wake Forest (21.6%)

University of North Carolina at Asheville vs. Wake Forest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of North Carolina at Asheville or Wake Forest? 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 Wake Forest and University of North Carolina at Asheville.

  • The graduation rate at Wake Forest is higher than University of North Carolina at Asheville (88% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Wake Forest University earn on average $39,300 more per year than University of North Carolina at Asheville graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $37,900)
  • University of North Carolina at Asheville students graduate with a $2,359 lower median federal student loan debt than Wake Forest graduates. ($20,641 vs. $23,000)
  • University of North Carolina at Asheville graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Wake Forest graduates. ($213 vs. $237)
  • More Wake Forest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of North Carolina at Asheville students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 61%)

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