WCU vs. Coastal Carolina

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

WCU Coastal Carolina
Location Cullowhee, NC Conway, SC
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 11,635 10,337
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #763 #821
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcu.edu coastal.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WCU Coastal Carolina
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $11,460
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $28,310
Room & Board $11,173 $10,628
Avg Net Price $13,022 $14,016
Avg Grant Aid $4,526 $10,610
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 88%

Admission

WCU Coastal Carolina
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,917 17,161
Admitted 15,201 13,493
Acceptance Rate 84.8% 78.6%
Enrolled % 12.7% 19.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 20/25
SAT Range 1020/1240 1020/1190
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 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

WCU Coastal Carolina
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

WCU Coastal Carolina
Graduation Rate 50% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,010 $24,930
Median Loan Payment $227 $257

Diversity

WCU Coastal Carolina
% Men 41% 45%
% Women 59% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 79% 68%
% Black 6% 20%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

WCU Coastal Carolina
% In-State 80% 31%
% Out-of-State 18% 68%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than Coastal Carolina based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 10,337 students)

WCU vs. Coastal Carolina Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or Coastal Carolina?

  • Coastal Carolina University is 1,046% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($11,460.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 466.2% higher at Coastal Carolina than Western Carolina University ($28,310.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Coastal Carolina ($13,022 vs. $14,016)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Coastal Carolina University are 5.1% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($10,628 vs. $11,173)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than Coastal Carolina University (99% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Coastal Carolina University students is 134.4% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($10,610 vs. $4,526)

WCU vs. Coastal Carolina Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Carolina University (1032) is 23 points higher than at Coastal Carolina (1009)
  • Incoming WCU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Coastal Carolina (22)
  • Accepted freshman Coastal Carolina students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than Coastal Carolina (78.6%)

WCU vs. Coastal Carolina Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WCU or Coastal Carolina? 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 Coastal Carolina and WCU.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Coastal Carolina University (50% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from Coastal Carolina University earn on average $3,100 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $2,920 lower median federal student loan debt than Coastal Carolina graduates. ($22,010 vs. $24,930)
  • WCU graduates are paying $30 less per month on federal student loans than Coastal Carolina graduates. ($227 vs. $257)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Coastal Carolina students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 54%)

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