WCU vs. PC

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

 WCU PC
Location Cullowhee, NC Clinton, SC
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 11,628 1,136
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #742 #371
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcu.edu presby.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WCU PC
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $40,200
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $40,200
Room & Board $11,764 $12,713
Avg Net Price $12,252 $20,058
Avg Grant Aid $5,442 $37,241
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 WCU PC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,183 3,359
Admitted 15,758 2,430
Acceptance Rate 86.7% 72.3%
Enrolled % 13.3% 10.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 22/27
SAT Range 1050/1260 1080/1280
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 Sep 21, 2025

Academics

 WCU PC
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (26%)
  • History (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

 WCU PC
Graduation Rate 50% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $47,700
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,010 $26,108
Median Loan Payment $227 $269

Diversity

 WCU PC
% Men 4% 4%
% Women 10% 17%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 77%
% Black 6% 14%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 WCU PC
% In-State 78% 51%
% Out-of-State 19% 46%

Campus

 WCU PC
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

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than PC based on total student enrollment (11,628 students vs. 1,136 students)

WCU vs. PC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or PC?

  • Presbyterian College is 3,920% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($40,200.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 704% higher at PC than Western Carolina University ($40,200.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than PC ($12,252 vs. $20,058)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 8.1% lower than costs at Presbyterian College ($11,764 vs. $12,713)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Presbyterian College than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Presbyterian College students is 584.3% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($37,241 vs. $5,442)

WCU vs. PC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Presbyterian College (1082) is 50 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming PC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman PC students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than PC (72.3%)

WCU vs. PC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at PC is higher than Western Carolina University (68% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Presbyterian College earn on average $8,600 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($47,700 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $4,098 lower median federal student loan debt than PC graduates. ($22,010 vs. $26,108)
  • WCU graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than PC graduates. ($227 vs. $269)
  • More PC 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/