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ECU ASU Tennessee Tech Tennessee UNC Charlotte UNCW University of North Carolina at Asheville WKU ETSU UNCG Middle Tennessee State University NC State| Western Carolina University | The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
WCU | UTC | ||
| Location | Cullowhee, NC | Chattanooga, TN | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 11,635 | 11,283 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #763 | #788 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wcu.edu | utc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WCU | UTC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $1,000 | $7,992 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $5,000 | $24,110 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,173 | $9,500 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,022 | $14,417 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $4,526 | $9,309 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 94% |
Admission |
WCU | UTC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 17,917 | 8,345 | ||
| Admitted | 15,201 | 6,897 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 84.8% | 82.6% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.7% | 32.6% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.44 | 3.61 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Moderate | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/26 | 20/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 1020/1240 | 1023/1210 | ||
| 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 | May 1, 2025 |
Academics |
WCU | UTC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 16:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
WCU | UTC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 39% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,100 | $40,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 58% | 56% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,010 | $20,792 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $214 |
Diversity |
WCU | UTC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 41% | 42% | ||
| % Women | 59% | 58% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 79% | 75% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 11% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 7% | ||
| % International | 1% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
WCU | UTC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 80% | 89% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 18% | 11% | ||
Campus |
WCU | UTC | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Western Carolina University is larger than than UTC based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 11,283 students)
WCU vs. UTC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WCU or UTC?
- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is 699.2% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($7,992.00 vs. $1,000.00)
- Out of state tuition is 382.2% higher at UTC than Western Carolina University ($24,110.00 vs. $5,000.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than UTC ($13,022 vs. $14,417)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are 17.6% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($9,500 vs. $11,173)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (99% vs. 94%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students is 105.7% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($9,309 vs. $4,526)
WCU vs. UTC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WCU or UTC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UTC or WCU .
- The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1087) is 55 points higher than at WCU (1032)
- Incoming UTC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WCU (22)
- Accepted freshman UTC students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at WCU (3.44)
- WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than UTC (82.6%)
WCU vs. UTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WCU or UTC? 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 UTC and WCU.
- The graduation rate at WCU is higher than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (50% vs. 39%)
- Graduates from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga earn on average $1,500 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($40,600 vs. $39,100)
- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students graduate with a $1,218 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($20,792 vs. $22,010)
- UTC graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($214 vs. $227)
- More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UTC students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 56%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/