WCU vs. Roanoke College

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

WCU Roanoke College
Location Cullowhee, NC Salem, VA
Setting Distant Town Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 11,635 1,826
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #763 #419
Religious Affiliation - Evangelical Lutheran Church - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcu.edu roanoke.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WCU Roanoke College
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $33,510
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $33,510
Room & Board $11,173 $15,366
Avg Net Price $13,022 $29,169
Avg Grant Aid $4,526 $36,176
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

WCU Roanoke College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,917 5,055
Admitted 15,201 4,032
Acceptance Rate 84.8% 79.8%
Enrolled % 12.7% 12.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 22/28
SAT Range 1020/1240 1070/1260
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 Roanoke College
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 (25%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • History (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

WCU Roanoke College
Graduation Rate 50% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $51,200
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,010 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $279

Diversity

WCU Roanoke College
% Men 41% 46%
% Women 59% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 82%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

WCU Roanoke College
% In-State 80% 58%
% Out-of-State 18% 40%

Campus

WCU Roanoke College
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 Roanoke College based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 1,826 students)

WCU vs. Roanoke College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or Roanoke College?

  • Roanoke College is 3,251% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($33,510.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 570.2% higher at Roanoke College than Western Carolina University ($33,510.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Roanoke College ($13,022 vs. $29,169)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 37.5% lower than costs at Roanoke College ($11,173 vs. $15,366)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Roanoke College than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Roanoke College students is 699.3% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($36,176 vs. $4,526)

WCU vs. Roanoke College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Roanoke College (1092) is 60 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming Roanoke College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Roanoke College students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than Roanoke College (79.8%)

WCU vs. Roanoke College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WCU or Roanoke College? 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 Roanoke College and WCU.

  • The graduation rate at Roanoke College is higher than Western Carolina University (69% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Roanoke College earn on average $12,100 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($51,200 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $4,990 lower median federal student loan debt than Roanoke College graduates. ($22,010 vs. $27,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Roanoke College graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
  • More Roanoke College 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/