WCU vs. CofC

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

 WCU CofC
Location Cullowhee, NC Charleston, SC
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 11,628 11,729
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #742 #435
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcu.edu cofc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WCU CofC
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $12,518
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $36,398
Room & Board $11,764 $14,032
Avg Net Price $12,252 $20,806
Avg Grant Aid $5,442 $9,811
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 81%

Admission

 WCU CofC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,183 26,683
Admitted 15,758 19,212
Acceptance Rate 86.7% 72%
Enrolled % 13.3% 13.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.94
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 24/29
SAT Range 1050/1260 1130/1300
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, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 WCU CofC
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 (23%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

 WCU CofC
Graduation Rate 50% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $46,200
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,010 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $227 $222

Diversity

 WCU CofC
% Men 4% 2%
% Women 10% 7%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 80%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 WCU CofC
% In-State 78% 38%
% Out-of-State 19% 61%

Campus

 WCU CofC
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

  • College of Charleston is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (11,729 students vs. 11,628 students)

WCU vs. CofC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or CofC?

  • College of Charleston is 1,151.8% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($12,518.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 628% higher at CofC than Western Carolina University ($36,398.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than CofC ($12,252 vs. $20,806)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 19.3% lower than costs at College of Charleston ($11,764 vs. $14,032)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than College of Charleston (99% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Charleston students is 80.3% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($9,811 vs. $5,442)

WCU vs. CofC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of Charleston (1141) is 109 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming CofC students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman CofC students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than CofC (72%)

WCU vs. CofC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WCU or CofC? 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 CofC and WCU.

  • The graduation rate at CofC is higher than Western Carolina University (63% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from College of Charleston earn on average $7,100 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($46,200 vs. $39,100)
  • College of Charleston students graduate with a $510 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,010)
  • CofC graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($222 vs. $227)
  • More CofC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 58%)

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