West Virginia Wesleyan College vs University of Charleston
West Virginia Wesleyan College and the University of Charleston, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in West Virginia, offer distinct educational experiences. Wesleyan, a private liberal arts college, boasts a selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 68%, while Charleston, a private university, welcomes a broader range of students with an acceptance rate of 86%. Wesleyan's student body is predominantly female (60%), while Charleston's is more evenly balanced (49% female, 51% male). Both institutions offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, with popular majors at Wesleyan including Business Administration, Education, and Psychology, and popular majors at Charleston including Business Administration, Nursing, and Criminal Justice. While Wesleyan's smaller size fosters a close-knit community, Charleston's larger student body provides a more vibrant campus life. With graduation rates of 58% and 49% respectively, both institutions are committed to student success. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these
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![]() University of Charleston |
![]() West Virginia Wesleyan College |
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Overview |
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Location | Charleston, West Virginia | Buckhannon, West Virginia |
Campus setting | City: Small | Town: Remote |
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 | 74.0% | 65.0% |
![]() |
Yes | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Methodism | |
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 69.7% | 84.4% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$25
Graduate:
$50
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Undergraduate:
$35
Graduate:
$50
|
SAT range | N/A | 968 - 1180 |
ACT range | N/A | 18 - 23 |
Students submitting SAT score | 33.0% | |
Students submitting ACT score | 30.0% | |
Total number of applicants | 1,984 | 1,766 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,383 | 1,491 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 246 | 302 |
Yield rate | 17.8% | 20.3% |
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 | Not required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $47,450 | $41,677 |
Average net price | $20,086 | $20,512 |
Tuition | $30,900 | $31,384 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$5,450
Meal plan:
$4,350
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Room/dormitory:
$4,912
Meal plan:
$5,142
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
99.0%
Average amount $24,484 |
100.0%
Average amount $25,474 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
57.0%
Average amount $5,403 |
97.0%
Average amount $5,882 |
Students taking out private loans |
1.0%
Average amount $10,756 |
10.0%
Average amount $15,240 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
2,162
Men 58.6% Women 41.4% |
982
Men 46.4% Women 53.6% |
Graduate students |
764
Men 58.0% Women 42.0% |
72
Men 23.6% Women 76.4% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
|
Low
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Out-of-state students | 35.1% | 48.3% |
International students | 6.1% | 5.0% |
Campus local/setting | City: Small | Town: Remote |
Dormitory capacity | 756 | 1,020 |
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 | West Virginia Florida Maryland Pennsylvania Virginia |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 14:1 | 12:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 43.0% | 54.3% |
Dropout rate | 20.9% | 45.4% |
Transferred out | 35.1% | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctoral Degrees)
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
Security Policy and Strategy (Master's Degrees)
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Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees)
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
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