WCU vs. OIT

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

 WCU OIT
Location Cullowhee, NC Klamath Falls, OR
Setting Distant Town Remote Town
Enrollment 11,635 4,911
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #763 #481
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcu.edu oit.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WCU OIT
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $10,002
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $31,836
Room & Board $11,173 $10,921
Avg Net Price $13,022 $17,283
Avg Grant Aid $4,526 $8,302
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

 WCU OIT
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,917 4,570
Admitted 15,201 4,231
Acceptance Rate 84.8% 92.6%
Enrolled % 12.7% 10.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.51
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 23/30
SAT Range 1020/1240 1050/1255
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 4, 2023

Academics

 WCU OIT
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Health Professions (47%)
  • Engineering Technology (21%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (4%)

Outcomes

 WCU OIT
Graduation Rate 50% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,010 $22,875
Median Loan Payment $227 $236

Diversity

 WCU OIT
% Men 41% 48%
% Women 59% 52%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 72%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 6% 9%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 WCU OIT
% In-State 80% 68%
% Out-of-State 18% 30%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than OIT based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 4,911 students)

WCU vs. OIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or OIT?

  • Oregon Institute of Technology is 900.2% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($10,002.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 536.7% higher at OIT than Western Carolina University ($31,836.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Carolina University than OIT ($13,022 vs. $17,283)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Oregon Institute of Technology are 2.3% lower than costs at Western Carolina University ($10,921 vs. $11,173)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oregon Institute of Technology than Western Carolina University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Oregon Institute of Technology students is 83.4% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($8,302 vs. $4,526)

WCU vs. OIT Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Oregon Institute of Technology (1047) is 15 points higher than at WCU (1032)
  • Incoming OIT students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at WCU (22)
  • Accepted freshman OIT students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at WCU (3.44)
  • OIT has a higher acceptance rate (92.6%) than WCU (84.8%)

WCU vs. OIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WCU or OIT? 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 OIT and WCU.

  • The graduation rate at WCU is higher than Oregon Institute of Technology (50% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from Oregon Institute of Technology earn on average $16,200 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $39,100)
  • Western Carolina University students graduate with a $865 lower median federal student loan debt than OIT graduates. ($22,010 vs. $22,875)
  • WCU graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than OIT graduates. ($227 vs. $236)
  • More OIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 58%)

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