WCU vs. WVU

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

 WCU WVU
Location Cullowhee, NC Morgantown, WV
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 11,635 24,741
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #763 #559
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcu.edu wvu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WCU WVU
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $9,360
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $26,568
Room & Board $11,173 $11,618
Avg Net Price $13,022 $12,202
Avg Grant Aid $4,526 $11,685
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 94%

Admission

 WCU WVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,917 18,206
Admitted 15,201 16,091
Acceptance Rate 84.8% 88.4%
Enrolled % 12.7% 28.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 20/26
SAT Range 1020/1240 1000/1220
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 WVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)

Outcomes

 WCU WVU
Graduation Rate 50% 57%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $50,600
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,010 $24,001
Median Loan Payment $227 $248

Diversity

 WCU WVU
% Men 41% 47%
% Women 59% 53%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 81%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 WCU WVU
% In-State 80% 42%
% Out-of-State 18% 57%

Campus

 WCU WVU
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

  • West Virginia University is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (24,741 students vs. 11,635 students)

WCU vs. WVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or WVU?

  • West Virginia University is 836% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($9,360.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 431.4% higher at WVU than Western Carolina University ($26,568.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at West Virginia University than WCU ($12,202 vs. $13,022)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 4% lower than costs at West Virginia University ($11,173 vs. $11,618)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than West Virginia University (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by West Virginia University students is 158.2% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($11,685 vs. $4,526)

WCU vs. WVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at West Virginia University (1078) is 46 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming WVU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman WVU students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WVU has a higher acceptance rate (88.4%) than WCU (84.8%)

WCU vs. WVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WVU is higher than Western Carolina University (57% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from West Virginia University earn on average $11,500 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($50,600 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $1,991 lower median federal student loan debt than WVU graduates. ($22,010 vs. $24,001)
  • WCU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than WVU graduates. ($227 vs. $248)
  • More WVU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 58%)

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