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ECU ASU UNC Charlotte UNCW University of North Carolina at Asheville ETSU Virginia Tech UNCG NC State JMU Annapolis UNC Chapel Hill| Western Carolina University | Virginia Military Institute | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
WCU | VMI | ||
| Location | Cullowhee, NC | Lexington, VA | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Distant Rural | ||
| Enrollment | 11,628 | 1,560 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #742 | #175 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | wcu.edu | vmi.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
WCU | VMI | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $1,000 | $10,076 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $5,000 | $40,778 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,764 | $10,990 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $12,252 | $17,229 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $5,442 | $13,735 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 81% |
Admission |
WCU | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 18,183 | 1,171 | ||
| Admitted | 15,758 | 957 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 86.7% | 81.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13.3% | 49% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.44 | 3.65 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 20/26 | 22/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1050/1260 | 1040/1260 | ||
| 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 | Feb 1, 2025 |
Academics |
WCU | VMI | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
WCU | VMI | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 69% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,100 | $62,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 58% | 84% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,010 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $227 | $258 |
Diversity |
WCU | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 4% | 61% | ||
| % Women | 10% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 79% | 80% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 2% | ||
| % International | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 0% |
Students |
WCU | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 78% | 63% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 19% | 35% | ||
Campus |
WCU | VMI | ||
| 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 VMI based on total student enrollment (11,628 students vs. 1,560 students)
WCU vs. VMI Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, WCU or VMI?
- Virginia Military Institute is 907.6% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($10,076.00 vs. $1,000.00)
- Out of state tuition is 715.6% higher at VMI than Western Carolina University ($40,778.00 vs. $5,000.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than VMI ($12,252 vs. $17,229)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 7% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($10,990 vs. $11,764)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than Virginia Military Institute (99% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 152.4% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($13,735 vs. $5,442)
WCU vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, WCU or VMI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VMI or WCU .
- The average SAT score at Virginia Military Institute (1139) is 107 points higher than at WCU (1032)
- Incoming VMI students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WCU (22)
- Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at WCU (3.44)
- WCU has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than VMI (81.7%)
WCU vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, WCU or VMI? 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 VMI and WCU.
- The graduation rate at VMI is higher than Western Carolina University (69% vs. 50%)
- Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $23,000 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $39,100)
- Western Carolina University students graduate with a $2,990 lower median federal student loan debt than VMI graduates. ($22,010 vs. $25,000)
- WCU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than VMI graduates. ($227 vs. $258)
- More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 58%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/