University of Charleston vs Western Carolina University (WCU)

Nestled in the heart of West Virginia, the University of Charleston and Western Carolina University, located in the picturesque town of Cullowhee, North Carolina, stand as two distinct institutions of higher learning. While both universities offer a diverse range of academic programs and a vibrant campus life, they also possess unique characteristics that set them apart. With the University of Charleston boasting a higher acceptance rate and a smaller student body, it fosters a close-knit community feel. In contrast, Western Carolina University's larger student population and lower acceptance rate create a more dynamic and diverse campus environment. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these universities, including popular majors, student demographics, graduation rates, and more, to help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.

	University of Charleston	Western Carolina University
Overview
Location	Charleston, West Virginia	Cullowhee, North Carolina
Campus setting	City: Small	Town: Distant
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	74.0%	75.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	69.7%	79.4%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $25 Graduate: $50	Undergraduate: $65 Graduate: $65
SAT range	N/A	1060 - 1230
ACT range	N/A	19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score		12.0%
Students submitting ACT score		43.0%
Total number of applicants	1,984	12,308
Total number of admissions given out	1,383	9,775
Admitted students who chose to enroll	246	1,729
Yield rate	17.8%	17.7%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$47,450	In state: $19,349 Out of state: $23,349
Average net price	$20,086	$13,082
Tuition	$30,900	In state: $1,000 Out of state: $5,000
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,450 Meal plan: $4,350	Room/dormitory: $6,403 Meal plan: $5,029
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	99.0% Average amount $24,484	73.0% Average amount $5,772
Students receiving federal student loan	57.0% Average amount $5,403	56.0% Average amount $4,850
Students taking out private loans	1.0% Average amount $10,756	9.0% Average amount $9,396

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,162 Men 58.6% Women 41.4%	10,145 Men 43.6% Women 56.4%
Graduate students	764 Men 58.0% Women 42.0%	1,732 Men 32.1% Women 67.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	35.1%	17.7%
International students	6.1%	1.7%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity	756	3,815
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	West Virginia Ohio Virginia Florida Pennsylvania	North Carolina South Carolina Georgia Florida Tennessee

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Health Professions Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Biological and Biomedical Sciences Law Enforcement and Firefighting	Health Professions Education Business Public Administration and Social Service Engineering Technologies
Students to faculty ratio	14:1	15:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	43.0%	61.4%
Dropout rate	20.9%	10.2%
Transferred out	35.1%	27.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $112,123 Year 2: $119,148 Year 3: $126,458 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $97,686 Year 2: $96,627 Year 3: $106,180 Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $48,859 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $85,910 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,671 Year 2: $57,564 Year 3: $60,223 Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $65,971 Year 2: $46,478 Year 3: $51,510 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $55,904 Year 2: $44,928 Year 3: $50,637 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $48,786 Year 2: $46,321 Year 3: $49,711 Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $43,798 Year 3: $46,400 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $32,569 Year 3: N/A Security Policy and Strategy (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $48,432 Year 3: N/A	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $97,321 Year 2: $103,913 Year 3: $103,661 Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $55,207 Year 2: $64,990 Year 3: $72,372 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $54,769 Year 2: $53,775 Year 3: $72,367 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $65,460 Year 2: $67,324 Year 3: $68,635 Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,202 Year 2: $58,221 Year 3: $64,334 Engineering Technology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,173 Year 2: $54,996 Year 3: $63,171 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $64,798 Year 2: $55,286 Year 3: $61,637 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $53,571 Year 2: $55,512 Year 3: $59,030 Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $55,835 Year 2: $52,107 Year 3: $58,930 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,362 Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $57,003

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