Warren Wilson vs. Watkins Institute

Should I go to Warren Wilson College or Watkins College of Art Design & Film? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Warren Wilson or Watkins Institute 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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Warren Wilson College vs. Watkins College of Art Design & Film comparison
Warren Wilson College Watkins College of Art Design & Film College 3 College 4
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Overview

 Warren Wilson Watkins Institute
Location Swannanoa, NC Nashville, TN
Setting Midsize Suburban Large City
Enrollment 793 193
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website warren-wilson.edu watkins.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Warren Wilson Watkins Institute
Tuition (In State) $37,500 $22,800
Tuition (Out of State) $37,500 $22,800
Room & Board $12,050 $11,000
Avg Net Price $28,086 -
Avg Grant Aid $26,012 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 0%

Admission

 Warren Wilson Watkins Institute
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 905 -
Admitted 760 -
Acceptance Rate 84%
Enrolled % 25.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/29
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 3, 2025

Academics

 Warren Wilson Watkins Institute
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Natural Resources Conservation (28%)
  • English and Literature (15%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)

Outcomes

 Warren Wilson Watkins Institute
Graduation Rate 45% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $30,800 $38,700
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $237 $279

Diversity

 Warren Wilson Watkins Institute
% Men 34% 37%
% Women 66% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 69%
% Black 4% 15%
% Hispanic 9% 8%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

 Warren Wilson Watkins Institute
% In-State 40% 72%
% Out-of-State 58% 24%

Campus

 Warren Wilson Watkins Institute
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Warren Wilson College is larger than than Watkins Institute based on total student enrollment (793 students vs. 193 students)

Warren Wilson vs. Watkins Institute Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Warren Wilson or Watkins Institute?

  • Warren Wilson College is 64.5% more expensive to attend than Watkins Institute for in-state tuition ($37,500.00 vs. $22,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 64.5% higher at Warren Wilson than Watkins College of Art Design & Film ($37,500.00 vs. $22,800.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Watkins College of Art Design & Film are 9.5% lower than costs at Warren Wilson College ($11,000 vs. $12,050)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Warren Wilson College than Watkins College of Art Design & Film (100% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Warren Wilson College students is ?% larger than aid received Watkins College of Art Design & Film ($26,012 vs. $0)

Which college is harder to get into, Warren Wilson or Watkins Institute? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Watkins Institute or Warren Wilson .

  • The average SAT score at Warren Wilson College (1120) is 117 points higher than at Watkins Institute (1003)
  • Incoming Warren Wilson students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Watkins Institute (21)
  • Accepted freshman Warren Wilson students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Watkins Institute (3.33)

Warren Wilson vs. Watkins Institute Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Warren Wilson or Watkins Institute? 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 Watkins Institute and Warren Wilson.

  • The graduation rate at Warren Wilson is higher than Watkins College of Art Design & Film (45% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Watkins College of Art Design & Film earn on average $7,900 more per year than Warren Wilson graduates after ten years. ($38,700 vs. $30,800)
  • Warren Wilson College students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Watkins Institute graduates. ($23,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Warren Wilson graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than Watkins Institute graduates. ($237 vs. $279)
  • More Warren Wilson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Watkins Institute students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 47%)

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