TROY vs. WCU

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

 TROY WCU
Location Troy, AL Cullowhee, NC
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 14,156 11,635
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #963 #763
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website troy.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 TROY WCU
Tuition (In State) $9,312 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $18,624 $5,000
Room & Board $7,599 $11,173
Avg Net Price $13,187 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $8,806 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 84% 99%

Admission

 TROY WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,035 17,917
Admitted 6,672 15,201
Acceptance Rate 94.8% 84.8%
Enrolled % 25.2% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 19/26
SAT Range 950/1150 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

 TROY WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 TROY WCU
Graduation Rate 35% 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,400 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $258 $227

Diversity

 TROY WCU
% Men 36% 41%
% Women 64% 59%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 53% 79%
% Black 31% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 TROY WCU
% In-State 74% 80%
% Out-of-State 24% 18%

Campus

 TROY 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

  • Troy University is larger than than WCU based on total student enrollment (14,156 students vs. 11,635 students)

TROY vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TROY or WCU?

  • Troy University is 831.2% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($9,312.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 272.5% higher at TROY than Western Carolina University ($18,624.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than TROY ($13,022 vs. $13,187)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Troy University are 47% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($7,599 vs. $11,173)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than Troy University (99% vs. 84%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Troy University students is 94.6% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($8,806 vs. $4,526)

TROY vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Troy University (1046) is 14 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming TROY students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman TROY students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • TROY has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than WCU (84.8%)

TROY vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, TROY 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 TROY.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Troy University (50% vs. 35%)
  • Graduates from Troy University earn on average $300 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($39,400 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $2,990 lower median federal student loan debt than TROY graduates. ($22,010 vs. $25,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than TROY graduates. ($227 vs. $258)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TROY 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/