Western Carolina University (WCU) vs Oswego State

Western Carolina University and SUNY College at Oswego, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Western Carolina, nestled in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains, boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for aspiring students. Oswego, situated on the shores of Lake Ontario, attracts a more diverse student body, fostering an inclusive and vibrant campus community. While Western Carolina excels in fields like nursing and education, Oswego shines in business and communication programs. Both universities boast impressive graduation rates, ensuring that students are well-prepared for their future endeavors. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details and discover which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	SUNY College at Oswego	Western Carolina University
Overview
Location	Oswego, New York	Cullowhee, North Carolina
Campus setting	Town: Distant	Town: Distant
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	75.0%	75.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	79.6%	79.4%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $65	Undergraduate: $65 Graduate: $65
SAT range	1060 - 1280	1060 - 1230
ACT range	24 - 29	19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score	30.0%	12.0%
Students submitting ACT score	4.0%	43.0%
Total number of applicants	10,357	12,308
Total number of admissions given out	8,249	9,775
Admitted students who chose to enroll	1,168	1,729
Yield rate	14.2%	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	In state: $26,709 Out of state: $36,619	In state: $19,349 Out of state: $23,349
Average net price	$15,078	$13,082
Tuition	In state: $7,070 Out of state: $16,980	In state: $1,000 Out of state: $5,000
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $8,990 Meal plan: $5,650	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)	92.0% Average amount $9,827	73.0% Average amount $5,772
Students receiving federal student loan	57.0% Average amount $5,396	56.0% Average amount $4,850
Students taking out private loans	7.0% Average amount $11,732	9.0% Average amount $9,396

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	6,135 Men 47.4% Women 52.6%	10,145 Men 43.6% Women 56.4%
Graduate students	923 Men 37.2% Women 62.8%	1,732 Men 32.1% Women 67.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	5.8%	17.7%
International students	2.1%	1.7%
Campus local/setting	Town: Distant	Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity	3,600	3,815
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	New York District of Columbia New Jersey Connecticut Pennsylvania	North Carolina South Carolina Georgia Florida Tennessee

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences Visual & Performing Arts Kinesiology & Leisure Studies	Health Professions Education Business Public Administration and Social Service Engineering Technologies
Students to faculty ratio	16:1	15:1
Institutional accreditation	Middle States Commission on Higher Education	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	66.4%	61.4%
Dropout rate	6.9%	10.2%
Transferred out	25.9%	27.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate/Professional Certificates) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $75,832 Year 3: $82,218 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $60,762 Year 2: $56,716 Year 3: $69,352 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,761 Year 2: $67,324 Year 3: $68,793 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $44,355 Year 2: $50,439 Year 3: $60,642 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $53,277 Year 2: $49,832 Year 3: $55,558 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,463 Year 2: $37,478 Year 3: $47,329 Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,275 Year 2: $39,832 Year 3: $46,905 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,225 Year 2: $37,748 Year 3: $46,883 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,410 Year 2: $39,009 Year 3: $46,627 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,543 Year 2: $30,409 Year 3: $46,215	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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