Western Carolina University (WCU) vs Montreat College

Western Carolina University and Montreat College, both located in North Carolina, offer distinct educational experiences. Western Carolina University, a public institution, boasts a higher acceptance rate (78%) compared to Montreat College's more selective admissions (67%). With a larger student body, Western Carolina University offers a wider range of academic programs, including popular majors like Business, Education, and Nursing. Montreat College, a private Christian college, excels in Liberal Arts and Sciences, with a focus on undergraduate studies. While Western Carolina University's student body is more diverse, Montreat College fosters a close-knit community with smaller class sizes. Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, with Western Carolina University at 62% and Montreat College at 58%. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these institutions and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Montreat College	Western Carolina University
Overview
Location	Montreat, North Carolina	Cullowhee, North Carolina
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	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	77.0%	75.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Interdenominational

Admission
Acceptance rate	90.2%	79.4%
Application fees		Undergraduate: $65 Graduate: $65
SAT range	1030 - 1220	1060 - 1230
ACT range	21 - 28	19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score	15.0%	12.0%
Students submitting ACT score	15.0%	43.0%
Total number of applicants	1,465	12,308
Total number of admissions given out	1,322	9,775
Admitted students who chose to enroll	212	1,729
Yield rate	16.0%	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	$39,366	In state: $19,349 Out of state: $23,349
Average net price	$23,083	$13,082
Tuition	$29,212	In state: $1,000 Out of state: $5,000
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,300 Meal plan: $5,528	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)	100.0% Average amount $18,697	73.0% Average amount $5,772
Students receiving federal student loan	84.0% Average amount $10,351	56.0% Average amount $4,850
Students taking out private loans	15.0% Average amount $14,145	9.0% Average amount $9,396

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	853 Men 54.5% Women 45.5%	10,145 Men 43.6% Women 56.4%
Graduate students	160 Men 29.4% Women 70.6%	1,732 Men 32.1% Women 67.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	17.7%
International students	2.0%	1.7%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity	642	3,815
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	North Carolina South Carolina Georgia Florida Tennessee

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Health Professions Law Enforcement and Firefighting Biological and Biomedical Sciences Education	Health Professions Education Business Public Administration and Social Service Engineering Technologies
Students to faculty ratio	13:1	15:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	29.4%	61.4%
Dropout rate	69.0%	10.2%
Transferred out	N/A	27.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $46,796 Year 2: $49,214 Year 3: $52,185 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,504 Year 2: $40,853 Year 3: $47,809 Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $40,910 Year 2: $43,319 Year 3: $47,361 Psychology, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,117 Year 2: $28,960 Year 3: $31,319	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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