WSSU vs. WCU

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

 WSSU WCU
Location Winston-Salem, NC Cullowhee, NC
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 5,004 11,635
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #956 #763
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wssu.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WSSU WCU
Tuition (In State) $3,401 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $14,057 $5,000
Room & Board $11,220 $11,173
Avg Net Price $14,097 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $8,350 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 99%

Admission

 WSSU WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,628 17,917
Admitted 5,598 15,201
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 84.8%
Enrolled % 15.3% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.01 3.44
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/19 19/26
SAT Range 830/1050 1020/1240
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 Feb 15, 2025 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 WSSU WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 WSSU WCU
Graduation Rate 41% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,663 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $265 $227

Diversity

 WSSU WCU
% Men 24% 41%
% Women 76% 59%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 16% 79%
% Black 72% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 WSSU WCU
% In-State 82% 80%
% Out-of-State 16% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than WSSU based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 5,004 students)

WSSU vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSSU or WCU?

  • Winston Salem State University is 240.1% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($3,401.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 181.1% higher at WSSU than Western Carolina University ($14,057.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than WSSU ($13,022 vs. $14,097)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 0.4% lower than costs at Winston Salem State University ($11,173 vs. $11,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than Winston Salem State University (99% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Winston Salem State University students is 84.5% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($8,350 vs. $4,526)

WSSU vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Carolina University (1032) is 162 points higher than at WSSU (870)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at WSSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.43 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at WSSU (3.01)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than WSSU (73.4%)

WSSU vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Winston Salem State University (50% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Western Carolina University earn on average $3,400 more per year than WSSU graduates after ten years. ($39,100 vs. $35,700)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $3,653 lower median federal student loan debt than WSSU graduates. ($22,010 vs. $25,663)
  • WCU graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than WSSU graduates. ($227 vs. $265)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSSU students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 33%)

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