MUW vs. WCU

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

 MUW WCU
Location Columbus, MS Cullowhee, NC
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 2,339 11,635
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #841 #763
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website muw.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 MUW WCU
Tuition (In State) $7,766 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $7,766 $5,000
Room & Board $8,212 $11,173
Avg Net Price $12,691 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $9,887 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 99%

Admission

 MUW WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 450 17,917
Admitted 446 15,201
Acceptance Rate 99.1% 84.8%
Enrolled % 28% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.49 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 19/26
SAT Range 850/1180 1020/1240
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2024

Academics

 MUW WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (42%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 MUW WCU
Graduation Rate 39% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,800 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $155 $227

Diversity

 MUW WCU
% Men 22% 41%
% Women 78% 59%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 79%
% Black 37% 6%
% Hispanic 0% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 MUW WCU
% In-State 74% 80%
% Out-of-State 26% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than MUW based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 2,339 students)

MUW vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MUW or WCU?

  • Mississippi University for Women is 676.6% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($7,766.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55.3% higher at MUW than Western Carolina University ($7,766.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mississippi University for Women than WCU ($12,691 vs. $13,022)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mississippi University for Women are 36.1% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($8,212 vs. $11,173)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than Mississippi University for Women (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi University for Women students is 118.4% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($9,887 vs. $4,526)

MUW vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Carolina University (1032) is 20 points higher than at MUW (1012)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at MUW (21)
  • Accepted freshman MUW students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.49) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • MUW has a higher acceptance rate (99.1%) than WCU (84.8%)

MUW vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MUW 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 MUW.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Mississippi University for Women (50% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Western Carolina University earn on average $1,300 more per year than MUW graduates after ten years. ($39,100 vs. $37,800)
  • Mississippi University for Women students graduate with a $7,010 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $22,010)
  • MUW graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($155 vs. $227)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MUW students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 57%)

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