Cumberland College vs. North Carolina Central University

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

Cumberland College North Carolina Central University
Location Williamsburg, KY Durham, NC
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 20,327 7,965
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #933 #982
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucumberlands.edu nccu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cumberland College North Carolina Central University
Tuition (In State) $9,875 $3,728
Tuition (Out of State) $9,875 $16,764
Room & Board $9,300 $14,760
Avg Net Price $11,555 $13,884
Avg Grant Aid $13,109 $12,449
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 90%

Admission

Cumberland College North Carolina Central University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,281 14,192
Admitted 3,056 12,842
Acceptance Rate 71.4% 90.5%
Enrolled % 21.1% 11.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.27
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/23 17/18
SAT Range 960/1160 980/1100
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 31, 2026 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

Cumberland College North Carolina Central University
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Cumberland College North Carolina Central University
Graduation Rate 43% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,700 $35,200
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 23%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,956 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $144 $320

Diversity

Cumberland College North Carolina Central University
% Men 34% 7%
% Women 36% 18%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 76% 6%
% Black 6% 81%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 4%
% International 5% 0%
% Unknown Race 10% 2%

Students

Cumberland College North Carolina Central University
% In-State 65% 75%
% Out-of-State 28% 24%

Campus

Cumberland College North Carolina Central University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of the Cumberlands is larger than than North Carolina Central University based on total student enrollment (20,327 students vs. 7,965 students)

Cumberland College vs. North Carolina Central University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cumberland College or North Carolina Central University?

  • University of the Cumberlands is 164.9% more expensive to attend than North Carolina Central University for in-state tuition ($9,875.00 vs. $3,728.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 69.8% higher at North Carolina Central University than University of the Cumberlands ($16,764.00 vs. $9,875.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of the Cumberlands than North Carolina Central University ($11,555 vs. $13,884)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of the Cumberlands are 58.7% lower than costs at North Carolina Central University ($9,300 vs. $14,760)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of the Cumberlands than North Carolina Central University (100% vs. 90%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of the Cumberlands students is 5.3% larger than aid received North Carolina Central University ($13,109 vs. $12,449)

Cumberland College vs. North Carolina Central University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of the Cumberlands (1022) is 143 points higher than at North Carolina Central University (879)
  • Incoming Cumberland College students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at North Carolina Central University (19)
  • Accepted freshman Cumberland College students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.47) than students at North Carolina Central University (3.27)
  • North Carolina Central University has a higher acceptance rate (90.5%) than Cumberland College (71.4%)

Cumberland College vs. North Carolina Central University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cumberland College or North Carolina Central University? 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 North Carolina Central University and Cumberland College.

  • The graduation rate at Cumberland College is higher than North Carolina Central University (43% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from University of the Cumberlands earn on average $1,500 more per year than North Carolina Central University graduates after ten years. ($36,700 vs. $35,200)
  • University of the Cumberlands students graduate with a $17,044 lower median federal student loan debt than North Carolina Central University graduates. ($13,956 vs. $31,000)
  • Cumberland College graduates are paying $176 less per month on federal student loans than North Carolina Central University graduates. ($144 vs. $320)
  • More Cumberland College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former North Carolina Central University students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 23%)

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