Western Carolina University (WCU) vs Shaw University

Western Carolina University and Shaw University, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to students with diverse aspirations. Western Carolina, nestled in the picturesque mountains of Cullowhee, North Carolina, boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a broader range of students. Shaw University, located in the vibrant city of Raleigh, North Carolina, maintains a smaller student body, fostering a close-knit community. Both universities offer a variety of popular majors, including business, education, and nursing, catering to students' career goals. While Western Carolina's student body is predominantly White, Shaw University's student body is predominantly Black, reflecting the rich diversity of their respective regions. Explore the comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details and discover which university aligns best with your academic pursuits and personal preferences.

	Shaw University	Western Carolina University
Overview
Location	Raleigh, North Carolina	Cullowhee, North Carolina
Campus setting	City: 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	58.0%	75.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Baptist

Admission
Acceptance rate	65.3%	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	2,435	12,308
Total number of admissions given out	1,591	9,775
Admitted students who chose to enroll	142	1,729
Yield rate	8.9%	17.7%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$30,270	In state: $19,349 Out of state: $23,349
Average net price	$15,498	$13,082
Tuition	$11,808	In state: $1,000 Out of state: $5,000
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $3,842 Meal plan: $4,672	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 $15,344	73.0% Average amount $5,772
Students receiving federal student loan	70.0% Average amount $5,858	56.0% Average amount $4,850
Students taking out private loans	1.0% Average amount $13,812	9.0% Average amount $9,396

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	998 Men 42.8% Women 57.2%	10,145 Men 43.6% Women 56.4%
Graduate students	143 Men 47.6% Women 52.4%	1,732 Men 32.1% Women 67.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	17.7%
International students	6.2%	1.7%
Campus local/setting	City: Large	Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity	1,144	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 Theology Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Law Enforcement and Firefighting Psychology	Health Professions Education Business Public Administration and Social Service Engineering Technologies
Students to faculty ratio	15:1	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	16.3%	61.4%
Dropout rate	81.0%	10.2%
Transferred out	N/A	27.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,104 Year 2: $29,866 Year 3: $37,072 Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,535 Year 2: $32,391 Year 3: $35,008 Theological and Ministerial Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $31,305 Year 3: $31,328 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $21,703 Year 3: $28,828 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $20,994 Year 2: $20,140 Year 3: $26,669 Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $18,795 Year 2: $23,340 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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