WSSU vs. CU

Should I go to Winston Salem State University or Cumberland University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WSSU or CU 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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Winston Salem State University vs. Cumberland University comparison
Winston Salem State University Cumberland University College 3 College 4
Winston Salem State University Cumberland University
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Overview

 WSSU CU
Location Winston-Salem, NC Lebanon, TN
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 5,004 2,588
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #956
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wssu.edu cumberland.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WSSU CU
Tuition (In State) $3,401 $25,200
Tuition (Out of State) $14,057 $25,200
Room & Board $11,220 $8,990
Avg Net Price $14,097 $18,528
Avg Grant Aid $8,350 $22,145
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 100%

Admission

 WSSU CU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,628 2,137
Admitted 5,598 1,415
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 66.2%
Enrolled % 15.3% 44.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.01 3.3
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 14/19
SAT Range 830/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2025

Academics

 WSSU CU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Health Professions (46%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (4%)

Outcomes

 WSSU CU
Graduation Rate 41% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $39,900
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,663 $21,729
Median Loan Payment $265 $224

Diversity

 WSSU CU
% Men 24% 42%
% Women 76% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU Yes No
% White 16% 63%
% Black 72% 12%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 16%

Students

 WSSU CU
% In-State 82% 88%
% Out-of-State 16% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Winston Salem State University is larger than than CU based on total student enrollment (5,004 students vs. 2,588 students)

WSSU vs. CU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSSU or CU?

  • Cumberland University is 641% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($25,200.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 79.3% higher at CU than Winston Salem State University ($25,200.00 vs. $14,057.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Winston Salem State University than CU ($14,097 vs. $18,528)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cumberland University are 24.8% lower than costs at Winston Salem State University ($8,990 vs. $11,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cumberland University than Winston Salem State University (100% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cumberland University students is 165.2% larger than aid received Winston Salem State University ($22,145 vs. $8,350)

WSSU vs. CU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Cumberland University (989) is 119 points higher than at WSSU (870)
  • Incoming CU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at WSSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman CU students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at WSSU (3.01)
  • WSSU has a higher acceptance rate (73.4%) than CU (66.2%)

WSSU vs. CU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WSSU or CU? 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 CU and WSSU.

  • The graduation rate at WSSU is higher than Cumberland University (41% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Cumberland University earn on average $4,200 more per year than WSSU graduates after ten years. ($39,900 vs. $35,700)
  • Cumberland University students graduate with a $3,934 lower median federal student loan debt than WSSU graduates. ($21,729 vs. $25,663)
  • CU graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than WSSU graduates. ($224 vs. $265)
  • More CU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSSU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 33%)

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