WCU vs. College of Mount St. Joseph

Should I go to Western Carolina University or College of Mount St. Joseph? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WCU or College of Mount St. Joseph 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

ECU ASU UNC Charlotte UNCW University of North Carolina at Asheville ETSU UNCG NC State UNC Chapel Hill University of North Carolina at Pembroke BYU GS
Western Carolina University vs. College of Mount St. Joseph comparison
Western Carolina University College of Mount St. Joseph College 3 College 4
Western Carolina University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 WCU College of Mount St. Joseph
Location Cullowhee, NC Cincinnati, OH
Setting Distant Town Large Suburban
Enrollment 11,635 2,027
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #763 #470
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcu.edu msj.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WCU College of Mount St. Joseph
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $33,750
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $33,750
Room & Board $11,173 $10,650
Avg Net Price $13,022 $17,506
Avg Grant Aid $4,526 $25,149
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 WCU College of Mount St. Joseph
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,917 2,127
Admitted 15,201 1,156
Acceptance Rate 84.8% 54.3%
Enrolled % 12.7% 25.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/26 21/27
SAT Range 1020/1240 1068/1233
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 College of Mount St. Joseph
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Health Professions (27%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 WCU College of Mount St. Joseph
Graduation Rate 50% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $44,700
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,010 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $289

Diversity

 WCU College of Mount St. Joseph
% Men 41% 37%
% Women 59% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 78%
% Black 6% 11%
% Hispanic 6% 1%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 WCU College of Mount St. Joseph
% In-State 80% 74%
% Out-of-State 18% 26%

Campus

 WCU College of Mount St. Joseph
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than College of Mount St. Joseph based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 2,027 students)

WCU vs. College of Mount St. Joseph Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or College of Mount St. Joseph?

  • College of Mount St. Joseph is 3,275% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($33,750.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 575% higher at College of Mount St. Joseph than Western Carolina University ($33,750.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than College of Mount St. Joseph ($13,022 vs. $17,506)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Mount St. Joseph are 4.9% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($10,650 vs. $11,173)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Mount St. Joseph than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Mount St. Joseph students is 455.7% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($25,149 vs. $4,526)

WCU vs. College of Mount St. Joseph Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman College of Mount St. Joseph students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than College of Mount St. Joseph (54.3%)

WCU vs. College of Mount St. Joseph Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WCU or College of Mount St. Joseph? 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 College of Mount St. Joseph and WCU.

  • The graduation rate at College of Mount St. Joseph is higher than Western Carolina University (59% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from College of Mount St. Joseph earn on average $5,600 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($44,700 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $5,990 lower median federal student loan debt than College of Mount St. Joseph graduates. ($22,010 vs. $28,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than College of Mount St. Joseph graduates. ($227 vs. $289)
  • More College of Mount St. Joseph graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 58%)

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