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 11,628 6,000
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #742 #279
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcu.edu xavier.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WCU Xavier
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $47,895
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $47,895
Room & Board $11,764 $13,820
Avg Net Price $12,252 $31,542
Avg Grant Aid $5,442 $30,901
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 WCU Xavier
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,183 16,750
Admitted 15,758 14,694
Acceptance Rate 86.7% 87.7%
Enrolled % 13.3% 8.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 22/29
SAT Range 1050/1260 1060/1298
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, 2026

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 4% 8%
% Women 10% 13%
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 78% 43%
% Out-of-State 19% 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 (11,628 students vs. 6,000 students)

WCU vs. Xavier Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or Xavier?

  • Xavier University is 4,689.5% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($47,895.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 857.9% higher at Xavier than Western Carolina University ($47,895.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Xavier ($12,252 vs. $31,542)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 17.5% lower than costs at Xavier University ($11,764 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 467.8% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($30,901 vs. $5,442)

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)
  • Xavier has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than WCU (86.7%)

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/