WCU vs. HSC- Hampden-Sydney

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

WCU HSC- Hampden-Sydney
Location Cullowhee, NC Hampden-Sydney, VA
Setting Distant Town Distant Rural
Enrollment 11,635 846
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #763
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcu.edu hsc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WCU HSC- Hampden-Sydney
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $48,188
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $48,188
Room & Board $11,173 $14,634
Avg Net Price $13,022 $29,899
Avg Grant Aid $4,526 $36,954
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 98%

Admission

WCU HSC- Hampden-Sydney
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,917 3,262
Admitted 15,201 1,298
Acceptance Rate 84.8% 39.8%
Enrolled % 12.7% 21.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.53
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/26 23/29
SAT Range 1020/1240 1040/1310
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

WCU HSC- Hampden-Sydney
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Social Sciences (37%)
  • History (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (5%)

Outcomes

WCU HSC- Hampden-Sydney
Graduation Rate 50% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $54,000
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,010 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $279

Diversity

WCU HSC- Hampden-Sydney
% Men 41% 100%
% Women 59% 0%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 81%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 2%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

WCU HSC- Hampden-Sydney
% In-State 80% 59%
% Out-of-State 18% 35%

Campus

WCU HSC- Hampden-Sydney
Campus Housing Yes No
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 HSC- Hampden-Sydney based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 846 students)

WCU vs. HSC- Hampden-Sydney Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or HSC- Hampden-Sydney?

  • Hampden Sydney College is 4,718.8% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($48,188.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 863.8% higher at HSC- Hampden-Sydney than Western Carolina University ($48,188.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than HSC- Hampden-Sydney ($13,022 vs. $29,899)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 31% lower than costs at Hampden Sydney College ($11,173 vs. $14,634)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than Hampden Sydney College (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hampden Sydney College students is 716.5% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($36,954 vs. $4,526)

WCU vs. HSC- Hampden-Sydney Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Hampden Sydney College (1112) is 80 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming HSC- Hampden-Sydney students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman HSC- Hampden-Sydney students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than HSC- Hampden-Sydney (39.8%)

WCU vs. HSC- Hampden-Sydney Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WCU or HSC- Hampden-Sydney? 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 HSC- Hampden-Sydney and WCU.

  • The graduation rate at HSC- Hampden-Sydney is higher than Western Carolina University (67% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Hampden Sydney College earn on average $14,900 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($54,000 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $4,990 lower median federal student loan debt than HSC- Hampden-Sydney graduates. ($22,010 vs. $27,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than HSC- Hampden-Sydney graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
  • More HSC- Hampden-Sydney graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 58%)

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