Shorter vs. WCU

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

Shorter WCU
Location Rome, GA Cullowhee, NC
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 1,515 11,635
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #872 #763
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website shorter.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Shorter WCU
Tuition (In State) $22,380 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $22,380 $5,000
Room & Board $9,400 $11,173
Avg Net Price $13,490 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $20,057 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Shorter WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 871 17,917
Admitted 849 15,201
Acceptance Rate 97.5% 84.8%
Enrolled % 31.4% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.25 3.44
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/25 19/26
SAT Range 960/1290 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 Aug 25, 2024 Mar 1, 2024

Academics

Shorter WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

Shorter WCU
Graduation Rate 47% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,300 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,418 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $293 $227

Diversity

Shorter WCU
% Men 44% 41%
% Women 56% 59%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 79%
% Black 24% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Shorter WCU
% In-State 84% 80%
% Out-of-State 15% 18%

Campus

Shorter 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 Shorter based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 1,515 students)

Shorter vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Shorter or WCU?

  • Shorter University is 2,138% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($22,380.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 347.6% higher at Shorter than Western Carolina University ($22,380.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Shorter ($13,022 vs. $13,490)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shorter University are 18.9% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($9,400 vs. $11,173)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Shorter University than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Shorter University students is 343.2% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($20,057 vs. $4,526)

Shorter vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Carolina University (1032) is 63 points higher than at Shorter (969)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Shorter (21)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at Shorter (3.25)
  • Shorter has a higher acceptance rate (97.5%) than WCU (84.8%)

Shorter vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Shorter 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 Shorter.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Shorter University (50% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Shorter University earn on average $10,200 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($49,300 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $6,408 lower median federal student loan debt than Shorter graduates. ($22,010 vs. $28,418)
  • WCU graduates are paying $66 less per month on federal student loans than Shorter graduates. ($227 vs. $293)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Shorter students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 38%)

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