North Central vs Wake Forest University (WFU)

North Central College and Wake Forest University, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to their students. North Central College, a private liberal arts college in Naperville, Illinois, boasts a close-knit community and a strong focus on undergraduate education. Wake Forest University, a private research university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is known for its rigorous academics, vibrant campus life, and commitment to sustainability. While both institutions share a dedication to academic excellence, they differ in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	North Central College	Wake Forest University
Overview
Location	Naperville, Illinois	Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	77.0%	94.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation	Methodism

Admission
Acceptance rate	68.4%	25.2%
Application fees	$25	Undergraduate: $85 Graduate: $80
SAT range	1030 - 1230	N/A
ACT range	22 - 28	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	43.0%
Students submitting ACT score	17.0%
Total number of applicants	4,551	15,156
Total number of admissions given out	3,113	3,816
Admitted students who chose to enroll	512	1,412
Yield rate	16.4%	37.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$61,098	$79,886
Average net price	$26,207	$24,643
Tuition	$42,026	$58,708
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,998 Meal plan: $3,890	Room/dormitory: $10,144 Meal plan: $7,870
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $28,670	33.0% Average amount $53,244
Students receiving federal student loan	60.0% Average amount $5,156	17.0% Average amount $4,985
Students taking out private loans	25.0% Average amount $6,992	3.0% Average amount $32,719

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,404 Men 48.4% Women 51.6%	5,472 Men 45.7% Women 54.3%
Graduate students	324 Men 29.3% Women 70.7%	3,475 Men 42.4% Women 57.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	26.8%	N/A
International students	3.7%	9.8%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	1,333	4,152
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Illinois Wisconsin Indiana Ohio Michigan	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Health Professions Visual & Performing Arts	Business Health Professions Legal Profession Education Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	13:1	10:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	64.4%	90.2%
Dropout rate	35.1%	9.5%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $52,561 Year 2: $63,501 Year 3: $74,669 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $63,155 Year 2: $62,260 Year 3: $71,061 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $43,815 Year 2: $58,921 Year 3: $66,245 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $54,117 Year 2: $46,478 Year 3: $64,795 Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,621 Year 2: $45,305 Year 3: $51,292 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $44,923 Year 2: $43,240 Year 3: $50,109 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,795 Year 2: $43,000 Year 3: $49,516 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $42,391 Year 2: $42,682 Year 3: $47,721 Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $41,154 Year 2: $45,584 Year 3: $46,743 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $41,411 Year 2: $40,441 Year 3: $44,647	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $169,430 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $155,438 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $96,143 Year 2: $96,587 Year 3: $105,398 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $73,169 Year 2: $80,510 Year 3: $96,761 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $86,086 Year 2: $76,836 Year 3: $93,939 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $70,098 Year 2: $71,015 Year 3: $89,902 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $61,076 Year 2: $65,145 Year 3: $79,400 Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $65,533 Year 2: $66,653 Year 3: $76,702 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $58,731 Year 2: $60,811 Year 3: $72,065 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,100 Year 2: $55,693 Year 3: $70,717 Medicine (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $56,086 Year 2: $57,411 Year 3: $65,270

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North Central vs Wake Forest University (WFU)

North Central College

Wake Forest University

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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