WCU vs. UWT

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

 WCU UWT
Location Cullowhee, NC Tacoma, WA
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 11,635 4,794
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #763
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcu.edu washington.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WCU UWT
Tuition (In State) $1,000 $11,189
Tuition (Out of State) $5,000 $39,687
Room & Board $11,173 $14,220
Avg Net Price $13,022 $10,680
Avg Grant Aid $4,526 $12,961
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 68%

Admission

 WCU UWT
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,917 1,974
Admitted 15,201 1,744
Acceptance Rate 84.8% 88.3%
Enrolled % 12.7% 35.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.44 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 16/24
SAT Range 1020/1240 960/1180
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Mar 1, 2024 Jun 30, 2024

Academics

 WCU UWT
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%)
  • General Studies (48%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (10%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 WCU UWT
Graduation Rate 50% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $65,800
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,010 $15,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $155

Diversity

 WCU UWT
% Men 41% 50%
% Women 59% 50%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 79% 43%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 6% 12%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 2%
% Two or More Races 4% 8%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

 WCU UWT
% In-State 80% 96%
% Out-of-State 18% 2%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Western Carolina University is larger than than UWT based on total student enrollment (11,635 students vs. 4,794 students)

WCU vs. UWT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WCU or UWT?

  • University of Washington Tacoma Campus is 1,018.9% more expensive to attend than WCU for in-state tuition ($11,189.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 693.7% higher at UWT than Western Carolina University ($39,687.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Washington Tacoma Campus than WCU ($10,680 vs. $13,022)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western Carolina University are 27.3% lower than costs at University of Washington Tacoma Campus ($11,173 vs. $14,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Carolina University than University of Washington Tacoma Campus (99% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Washington Tacoma Campus students is 186.4% larger than aid received Western Carolina University ($12,961 vs. $4,526)

WCU vs. UWT Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Western Carolina University (1032) is 66 points higher than at UWT (966)
  • Incoming WCU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at UWT (19)
  • Accepted freshman WCU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.44) than students at UWT (3.41)
  • UWT has a higher acceptance rate (88.3%) than WCU (84.8%)

WCU vs. UWT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • Graduates from University of Washington Tacoma Campus earn on average $26,700 more per year than WCU graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $39,100)
  • University of Washington Tacoma Campus students graduate with a $7,010 lower median federal student loan debt than WCU graduates. ($15,000 vs. $22,010)
  • UWT graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than WCU graduates. ($155 vs. $227)
  • More UWT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WCU students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 58%)

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