Location | Cullowhee, North Carolina |
Online | wcu.edu |
School Type | Public 4 Year |
Setting | Distant Town |
Size | Mid-size |
Status | Non-profit |
On Campus Housing | Yes |
Level of Study | Undergrad/Graduate |
Western Carolina University is situated in the rural mountain town of Cullowhee, North Carolina, approximately 50 miles southwest of Asheville in the Great Smoky Mountains. The 600-acre campus features a mix of modern and traditional brick buildings nestled in the Tuckasegee River Valley, with academic facilities concentrated around a central campus area. Established in 1889 as a teaching college, WCU has evolved into a comprehensive public university within the University of North Carolina system, offering undergraduate and graduate programs with particular strength in nursing, engineering, education, and natural resource management. The university maintains a selective admission process and provides on-campus housing in multiple residential communities for its predominantly undergraduate student population. As a member of the Southern Conference, WCU's Catamounts compete in NCAA Division I athletics, with notable programs in track and field and football.
WCU is rated within the lower 42% of four-year colleges nationally and earns a CollegeSimply grade of 5 out of 10. Learn how ratings are calculated
Rankings for Western Carolina University within the 2024 CollegeSimply Best Colleges Lists.
View the CollegeSimply ranking methodology.
SAT | 1020/1240 |
ACT | 19/26 |
GPA | 3.44 |
Applications Due | Mar 1, 2025 |
Applicant Competition | Very Low |
Application Fee | $65 |
Fee | Cost |
---|---|
Books and Supplies | $664 |
Other Fees | $3,453 |
Room and Board | $11,173 |
Budget for Other Expenses | $3,051 |
Total One Year Cost | $19,341 |
Fee | Cost |
---|---|
Books and Supplies | $664 |
Other Fees | $3,453 |
Room and Board | $11,173 |
Budget for Other Expenses | $3,051 |
Total One Year Cost | $23,341 |
Subject | Percent of Class |
---|---|
Education | 20% |
Health Professions | 16% |
Business | 14% |
Engineering Technology | 8% |
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting | 6% |
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Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=200004 IPEDS survey data for Western Carolina University.
Current students may use the Western Carolina University GPA calculator to determine their current college GPA.
Last updated February 24, 2024