WCU vs. Ferrum College

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

 WCU Ferrum College
Location Cullowhee, NC Ferrum, VA
Setting Distant Town Distant Rural
Enrollment 11,635 855
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #763
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcu.edu ferrum.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WCU Ferrum College
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $37,400
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $37,400
Room & Board $11,173 $13,230
Avg Net Price $13,022 $25,558
Avg Grant Aid $4,526 $26,580
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 94%

Admission

 WCU Ferrum College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,917 1,452
Admitted 15,201 1,224
Acceptance Rate 84.8% 84.3%
Enrolled % 12.7% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.14
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Average Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26
SAT Range 1020/1240 900/1110
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 Sep 15, 2023

Academics

 WCU Ferrum College
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 WCU Ferrum College
Graduation Rate 50% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 49%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,010 $28,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $289

Diversity

 WCU Ferrum College
% Men 41% 58%
% Women 59% 42%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 79% 52%
% Black 6% 34%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 WCU Ferrum College
% In-State 80% 64%
% Out-of-State 18% 34%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than Ferrum College based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 855 students)

WCU vs. Ferrum College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or Ferrum College?

  • Ferrum College is 3,640% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($37,400.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 648% higher at Ferrum College than Western Carolina University ($37,400.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than Ferrum College ($13,022 vs. $25,558)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 18.4% lower than costs at Ferrum College ($11,173 vs. $13,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than Ferrum College (99% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Ferrum College students is 487.3% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($26,580 vs. $4,526)

WCU vs. Ferrum College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Carolina University (1032) is 151 points higher than at Ferrum College (881)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Ferrum College (18)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at Ferrum College (3.14)
  • WCU has a higher acceptance rate (84.8%) than Ferrum College (84.3%)

WCU vs. Ferrum College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WCU or Ferrum College? 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 Ferrum College and WCU.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Ferrum College (50% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Western Carolina University earn on average $100 more per year than Ferrum College graduates after ten years. ($39,100 vs. $39,000)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $5,990 lower median federal student loan debt than Ferrum College graduates. ($22,010 vs. $28,000)
  • WCU graduates are paying $62 less per month on federal student loans than Ferrum College graduates. ($227 vs. $289)
  • More WCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Ferrum College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 49%)

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