Quad

Head-to-head

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    Tennessee Technological's grants cover 36% of its full price on average, vs. 23% at Western Carolina

    Aid generosity
  2. 2

    Tennessee Technological's yield is 11 pts higher than Western Carolina's

    Yield rate
  3. 3

    Western Carolina is more diverse (index 0.42 vs. 0.36)

    Diversity index
  4. 4

    Tennessee Technological has 5 pts more first-gen students than Western Carolina (38% vs. 33%)

    First-generation students
  5. 5

    Western Carolina has 4 pts more Pell recipients than Tennessee Technological (35% vs. 31%)

    Pell Grant recipients
  6. 6

    Western Carolina costs about $1.7K less per year on average than Tennessee Technological ($16,328 vs. $18,020, all students)

    Average cost, all students

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Who's hardest to get into

Tennessee Technological admits 79%, Western Carolina 82%; Tennessee Technological's yield is higher, at 24%.

Acceptance rate
Western Carolina82%
Tennessee Technological79%
Quad's selectivity
  • Western CarolinaAccessible
  • Tennessee TechnologicalAccessiblefrom TennesseeSelectivefrom other states
SAT middle 50%Axis 900–1600
Western Carolina
1080–1270
Tennessee Technological
1040–1270
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • Western CarolinaGPA, school record, rank, and prep program required
  • Tennessee TechnologicalGPA, school record, and prep program required63%

Who's on each campus

Western Carolina is a bit larger than Tennessee Technological (10,024 vs. 8,698 undergrads) and has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
Western Carolina10K
Tennessee Technological8.7K
Pell Grant share
Western Carolina35%
Tennessee Technological31%

Majors and faculty

Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse leads at Western Carolina, and Computer Science at Tennessee Technological; both have 16 students per faculty member.

Students per faculty member
Western Carolina16 to 1
Tennessee Technological16 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • Western CarolinaRegistered Nursing/Registered Nurse12%
  • Tennessee TechnologicalComputer Science8%

What each costs

Western Carolina costs about $1.7K less a year than Tennessee Technological on average; Tennessee Technological's grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
Western Carolina$16.3K
Tennessee Technological$18K
Aid generosity
Western Carolina23%
Tennessee Technological36%

What each pays off

Western Carolina's former students earn more, a median $49.5K ten years after enrolling; both graduate more than 60% within six years.

Median earnings, 10 years
Western Carolina$49.5K
Tennessee Technological$48.5K
Graduation rate
Western Carolina65%
Tennessee Technological65%

How each has changed

Applications grew at both; Tennessee Technological got more selective while Western Carolina got less.

Applications, 10-year change
  • Western CarolinaGrowing+28%
  • Tennessee TechnologicalGrowing+152%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why