WCU vs. Xavier

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

WCU Xavier
Location Cullowhee, NC Cincinnati, OH
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 11,635 6,114
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #763 #253
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcu.edu xavier.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WCU Xavier
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $44,770
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $44,770
Room & Board $11,173 $13,820
Avg Net Price $13,022 $31,619
Avg Grant Aid $4,526 $27,897
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

WCU Xavier
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,917 14,836
Admitted 15,201 12,542
Acceptance Rate 84.8% 84.5%
Enrolled % 12.7% 9.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 23/30
SAT Range 1020/1240 1120/1310
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 Xavier
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 (28%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (5%)

Outcomes

WCU Xavier
Graduation Rate 50% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $54,500
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,010 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $279

Diversity

WCU Xavier
% Men 41% 43%
% Women 59% 57%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 72%
% Black 6% 10%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

WCU Xavier
% In-State 80% 43%
% Out-of-State 18% 56%

Campus

WCU Xavier
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than Xavier based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 6,114 students)

WCU vs. Xavier Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or Xavier?

  • Xavier University is 4,377% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($44,770.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 795.4% higher at Xavier than Western Carolina University ($44,770.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Xavier ($13,022 vs. $31,619)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 23.7% lower than costs at Xavier University ($11,173 vs. $13,820)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Xavier University than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Xavier University students is 516.4% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($27,897 vs. $4,526)

WCU vs. Xavier Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Xavier University (1111) is 79 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming Xavier students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Xavier students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than Xavier (84.5%)

WCU vs. Xavier Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Xavier is higher than Western Carolina University (77% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Xavier University earn on average $15,400 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($54,500 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $4,990 lower median federal student loan debt than Xavier graduates. ($22,010 vs. $27,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Xavier graduates. ($227 vs. $279)
  • More Xavier graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 58%)

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