Covenant College vs. WCU

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

Covenant College WCU
Location Lookout Mountain, GA Cullowhee, NC
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 886 11,635
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #763
Religious Affiliation The Presbyterian Church in America - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website covenant.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Covenant College WCU
Tuition (In State) $37,760 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $37,760 $5,000
Room & Board $11,688 $11,173
Avg Net Price $25,028 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $26,658 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Covenant College WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 813 17,917
Admitted 684 15,201
Acceptance Rate 84.1% 84.8%
Enrolled % 35.4% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.44
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/32 19/26
SAT Range 1140/1380 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 Mar 1, 2024 Mar 1, 2024

Academics

Covenant College WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

Covenant College WCU
Graduation Rate 51% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,600 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $222 $227

Diversity

Covenant College WCU
% Men 46% 41%
% Women 54% 59%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 79%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

Covenant College WCU
% In-State 35% 80%
% Out-of-State 62% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than Covenant College based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 886 students)

Covenant College vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Covenant College or WCU?

  • Covenant College is 3,676% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($37,760.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 655.2% higher at Covenant College than Western Carolina University ($37,760.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Covenant College ($13,022 vs. $25,028)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 4.6% lower than costs at Covenant College ($11,173 vs. $11,688)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Covenant College than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Covenant College students is 489% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($26,658 vs. $4,526)

Covenant College vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Covenant College (1189) is 157 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming Covenant College students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Covenant College students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than Covenant College (84.1%)

Covenant College vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Covenant College 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 Covenant College.

  • The graduation rate at Covenant College is higher than Western Carolina University (51% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from Covenant College earn on average $6,500 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($45,600 vs. $39,100)
  • Covenant College students graduate with a $510 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $22,010)
  • Covenant College graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($222 vs. $227)
  • More Covenant College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 58%)

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