WCU vs. Milligan

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

 WCU Milligan
Location Cullowhee, NC Milligan, TN
Setting Distant Town Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 11,628 1,200
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #742
Religious Affiliation - Christian Churches and Churches of Christ - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcu.edu milligan.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WCU Milligan
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $37,700
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $37,700
Room & Board $11,764 $8,000
Avg Net Price $12,252 $21,463
Avg Grant Aid $5,442 $28,521
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 WCU Milligan
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,183 1,164
Admitted 15,758 818
Acceptance Rate 86.7% 70.3%
Enrolled % 13.3% 29.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 21/27
SAT Range 1050/1260 1120/1290
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 Aug 28, 2026

Academics

 WCU Milligan
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%)

Outcomes

 WCU Milligan
Graduation Rate 50% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,010 $25,500
Median Loan Payment $227 $263

Diversity

 WCU Milligan
% Men 4% 12%
% Women 10% 18%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 82%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 WCU Milligan
% In-State 78% 50%
% Out-of-State 19% 47%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than Milligan based on total student enrollment (11,628 students vs. 1,200 students)

WCU vs. Milligan Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or Milligan?

  • Milligan University is 3,670% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($37,700.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 654% higher at Milligan than Western Carolina University ($37,700.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Milligan ($12,252 vs. $21,463)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Milligan University are 47% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($8,000 vs. $11,764)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Milligan University than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Milligan University students is 424.1% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($28,521 vs. $5,442)

WCU vs. Milligan Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Milligan University (1128) is 96 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming Milligan students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Milligan students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than Milligan (70.3%)

WCU vs. Milligan Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $3,490 lower median federal student loan debt than Milligan graduates. ($22,010 vs. $25,500)
  • WCU graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Milligan graduates. ($227 vs. $263)
  • More Milligan graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 58%)

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