UNC Charlotte vs. WCU

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

 UNC Charlotte WCU
Location Charlotte, NC Cullowhee, NC
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 30,298 11,628
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #742
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uncc.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNC Charlotte WCU
Tuition (In State) $3,812 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $18,474 $5,000
Room & Board $13,864 $11,764
Avg Net Price $13,768 $12,252
Avg Grant Aid $8,150 $5,442
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 99%

Admission

 UNC Charlotte WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,699 18,183
Admitted 18,208 15,758
Acceptance Rate 80.2% 86.7%
Enrolled % 24.7% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 20/26
SAT Range 1110/1320 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 Jun 1, 2026 Mar 1, 2026

Academics

 UNC Charlotte WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 UNC Charlotte WCU
Graduation Rate 53% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $237 $227

Diversity

 UNC Charlotte WCU
% Men 8% 4%
% Women 13% 10%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 60% 79%
% Black 17% 6%
% Hispanic 9% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 UNC Charlotte WCU
% In-State 90% 78%
% Out-of-State 8% 19%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (30,298 students vs. 11,628 students)

UNC Charlotte vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNC Charlotte or WCU?

  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte is 281.2% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($3,812.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 269.5% higher at UNC Charlotte than Western Carolina University ($18,474.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than UNC Charlotte ($12,252 vs. $13,768)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 17.9% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($11,764 vs. $13,864)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (99% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina at Charlotte students is 49.8% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($8,150 vs. $5,442)

UNC Charlotte vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Charlotte (1093) is 61 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming UNC Charlotte students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman UNC Charlotte students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than UNC Charlotte (80.2%)

UNC Charlotte vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNC Charlotte 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 UNC Charlotte.

  • The graduation rate at UNC Charlotte is higher than Western Carolina University (53% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from University of North Carolina at Charlotte earn on average $9,500 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $990 lower median federal student loan debt than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($22,010 vs. $23,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($227 vs. $237)
  • More UNC Charlotte graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 58%)

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