WCU vs. ETSU

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

 WCU ETSU
Location Cullowhee, NC Johnson City, TN
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 11,635 13,483
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #763 #652
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcu.edu etsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WCU ETSU
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $7,722
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $11,532
Room & Board $11,173 $9,613
Avg Net Price $13,022 $14,350
Avg Grant Aid $4,526 $8,739
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 WCU ETSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,917 9,609
Admitted 15,201 8,193
Acceptance Rate 84.8% 85.3%
Enrolled % 12.7% 25.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 19/26
SAT Range 1020/1240 980/1190
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 ETSU
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%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 WCU ETSU
Graduation Rate 50% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $40,000
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,010 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $227 $211

Diversity

 WCU ETSU
% Men 41% 37%
% Women 59% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 82%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 WCU ETSU
% In-State 80% 75%
% Out-of-State 18% 23%

Campus

 WCU ETSU
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

  • East Tennessee State University is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (13,483 students vs. 11,635 students)

WCU vs. ETSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or ETSU?

  • East Tennessee State University is 672.2% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($7,722.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 130.6% higher at ETSU than Western Carolina University ($11,532.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than ETSU ($13,022 vs. $14,350)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Tennessee State University are 16.2% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($9,613 vs. $11,173)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at East Tennessee State University than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by East Tennessee State University students is 93.1% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($8,739 vs. $4,526)

WCU vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 36 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming ETSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at ETSU (3.33)
  • ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than WCU (84.8%)

WCU vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than East Tennessee State University (50% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from East Tennessee State University earn on average $900 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $39,100)
  • East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $1,510 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $22,010)
  • ETSU graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($211 vs. $227)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 50%)

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