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 | Randolph College | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
WCU | Randolph | ||
| Location | Cullowhee, NC | Lynchburg, VA | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 11,628 | 634 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #742 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | United Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wcu.edu | randolphcollege.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WCU | Randolph | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $1,000 | $28,330 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $5,000 | $28,330 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,764 | $11,890 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,252 | $20,856 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $5,442 | $22,982 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 100% |
Admission |
WCU | Randolph | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 18,183 | 1,935 | ||
| Admitted | 15,758 | 1,837 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.7% | 94.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.3% | 10.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.44 | 3.35 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 20/26 | 20/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 1050/1260 | 960/1210 | ||
| 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 | Randolph | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 7:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
WCU | Randolph | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 63% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,100 | $43,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 58% | 63% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,010 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $279 |
Diversity |
WCU | Randolph | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 10% | 11% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 79% | 68% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 12% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 4% | ||
| % International | 1% | 8% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 0% |
Students |
WCU | Randolph | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 78% | 76% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 19% | 23% | ||
Campus |
WCU | Randolph | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| 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 Randolph based on total student enrollment (11,628 students vs. 634 students)
WCU vs. Randolph Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WCU or Randolph?
- Randolph College is 2,733% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($28,330.00 vs. $1,000.00)
- Out of state tuition is 466.6% higher at Randolph than Western Carolina University ($28,330.00 vs. $5,000.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Randolph ($12,252 vs. $20,856)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 1.1% lower than costs at Randolph College ($11,764 vs. $11,890)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Randolph College than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Randolph College students is 322.3% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($22,982 vs. $5,442)
WCU vs. Randolph Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WCU or Randolph? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Randolph or WCU .
- The average SAT score at Western Carolina University (1032) is 18 points higher than at Randolph (1014)
- Incoming WCU students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at Randolph (22)
- Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at Randolph (3.35)
- Randolph has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than WCU (86.7%)
WCU vs. Randolph Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WCU or Randolph? 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 Randolph and WCU.
- The graduation rate at Randolph is higher than Western Carolina University (63% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from Randolph College earn on average $4,100 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($43,200 vs. $39,100)
- Western Carolina University students graduate with a $4,990 lower median federal student loan debt than Randolph graduates. ($22,010 vs. $27,000)
- WCU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Randolph graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
- More Randolph graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 58%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/