WCU vs. Tennessee

Should I go to Western Carolina University or The University of Tennessee? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WCU or Tennessee 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Auburn Alabama Kentucky ECU ASU Clemson Ole Miss UofSC Florida State IU JMU Georgia
Western Carolina University vs. The University of Tennessee comparison
Western Carolina University The University of Tennessee College 3 College 4
Western Carolina University The University of Tennessee
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 WCU Tennessee
Location Cullowhee, NC Knoxville, TN
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 11,628 36,304
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #742 #222
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcu.edu tennessee.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WCU Tennessee
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $11,332
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $29,522
Room & Board $11,764 $12,500
Avg Net Price $12,252 $20,885
Avg Grant Aid $5,442 $11,491
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 85%

Admission

 WCU Tennessee
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,183 50,488
Admitted 15,758 23,221
Acceptance Rate 86.7% 46%
Enrolled % 13.3% 28.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/26 25/31
SAT Range 1050/1260 1190/1340
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2026

Academics

 WCU Tennessee
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

 WCU Tennessee
Graduation Rate 50% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $56,300
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,010 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $206

Diversity

 WCU Tennessee
% Men 4% 9%
% Women 10% 11%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 79%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 WCU Tennessee
% In-State 78% 58%
% Out-of-State 19% 41%

Campus

 WCU Tennessee
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

  • The University of Tennessee is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (36,304 students vs. 11,628 students)

WCU vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or Tennessee?

  • The University of Tennessee is 1,033.2% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($11,332.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 490.4% higher at Tennessee than Western Carolina University ($29,522.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Tennessee ($12,252 vs. $20,885)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 6.3% lower than costs at The University of Tennessee ($11,764 vs. $12,500)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than The University of Tennessee (99% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee students is 111.2% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($11,491 vs. $5,442)

WCU vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 182 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming Tennessee students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Tennessee students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than Tennessee (46%)

WCU vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Tennessee is higher than Western Carolina University (63% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee earn on average $17,200 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($56,300 vs. $39,100)
  • The University of Tennessee students graduate with a $2,010 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($20,000 vs. $22,010)
  • Tennessee graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($206 vs. $227)
  • More Tennessee graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 58%)

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