UHWO vs. WCU

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

 UHWO WCU
Location Pearl City, HI Cullowhee, NC
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 2,913 11,635
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #763
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hawaii.edu wcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UHWO WCU
Tuition (In State) $7,344 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $20,304 $5,000
Room & Board $16,046 $11,173
Avg Net Price $9,103 $13,022
Avg Grant Aid $4,364 $4,526
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

 UHWO WCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 909 17,917
Admitted 876 15,201
Acceptance Rate 96.4% 84.8%
Enrolled % 24.7% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.44
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/22 19/26
SAT Range 1040/1180 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 Jul 1, 2024 Mar 1, 2024

Academics

 UHWO WCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (29%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Human Services (21%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)

Outcomes

 UHWO WCU
Graduation Rate - 50%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,100 $39,100
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $22,010
Median Loan Payment $155 $227

Diversity

 UHWO WCU
% Men 34% 41%
% Women 66% 59%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 11% 79%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 12% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 6% 0%
% Two or More Races 32% 4%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 UHWO WCU
% In-State 99% 80%
% Out-of-State 1% 18%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than UHWO based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 2,913 students)

UHWO vs. WCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UHWO or WCU?

  • University of Hawaii West Oahu is 634.4% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($7,344.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 306.1% higher at UHWO than Western Carolina University ($20,304.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Hawaii West Oahu than WCU ($9,103 vs. $13,022)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 43.6% lower than costs at University of Hawaii West Oahu ($11,173 vs. $16,046)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at University of Hawaii West Oahu as Western Carolina University (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Carolina University students is 3.7% larger than aid received University of Hawaii West Oahu ($4,526 vs. $4,364)

UHWO vs. WCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at UHWO (3.41)
  • UHWO has a higher acceptance rate (96.4%) than WCU (84.8%)

UHWO vs. WCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UHWO 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 UHWO.

  • Graduates from University of Hawaii West Oahu earn on average $3,000 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($42,100 vs. $39,100)
  • University of Hawaii West Oahu students graduate with a $7,010 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $22,010)
  • UHWO 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 UHWO students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 58%)

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