Location
- Western Carolina University
- Cullowhee, NC
- California State University-Long Beach
- Long Beach, CA
Western Carolina University vs California State University-Long Beach
Cullowhee, NC · Long Beach, CA · largest Scorecard gap: out-of-state tuition
Scorecard match plate
Pair NC:CA
PUBLIC-PAIR · CROSS-STATE · ACCEPT-GAP · NET-SPLIT · EARN-SPLIT · DEBT-SPLIT · COMPLETE-PAR · GAP-TUITION
- PUBLIC-PAIR Public pair
- CROSS-STATE NC × CA
- ACCEPT-GAP Admission gap
- NET-SPLIT Net-price split
- EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
- DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
- COMPLETE-PAR Completion near-par
- GAP-TUITION Largest gap · Out-of-State Tuition
Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the ENROLL-RACE · narrow · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.
Decade path · College Scorecard
Nearly parallel enrollment growth
ENROLL-RACE · narrow · 2013–2023
Undergraduate headcount rose at both Western Carolina University and California State University-Long Beach across 2013–2023. The fitted annual pace is what separates this board from a generic large-campus frame.
- Western Carolina University: enrollment grew +19.8% over 2013–2023; fitted +190 students/yr fitted, r² 0.73.
- California State University-Long Beach: enrollment grew +12.1% over 2013–2023; fitted +312 students/yr fitted, r² 0.71.
- Western Carolina University: acceptance rate eased +130.1% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.74).
- California State University-Long Beach: acceptance rate eased +52.9% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.61).
College Scorecard institution series; dollars are nominal. Direction claims require r² ≥ 0.40 on the fitted annual slope, otherwise the page reports the observed range. Descriptive history, not a recommendation.
Scorecard metrics
Undergraduate Enrollment
- Western Carolina University
- 10,024
Out-of-State Tuition
- Western Carolina University
- $8,630
Acceptance Rate
In-State Tuition
- Western Carolina University
- $4,630
Median Debt at Graduation
- Western Carolina University
- $21,868
Median Earnings (10 yr)
- Western Carolina University
- $49,458
Avg Net Price
- Western Carolina University
- $13,315
Median Earnings (6 yr)
- Western Carolina University
- $43,085
150%-Time Completion
Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair. Teal = better side.
| Metric | Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC | California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Cullowhee, NC | Long Beach, CA |
| Undergraduate Enrollment | 10,024 | 35,924 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $8,630 | $19,950 |
| Acceptance Rate | 81.8% | 46.3% |
| In-State Tuition | $4,630 | $7,350 |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $21,868 | $14,289 |
| Median Earnings (10 yr) | $49,458 | $64,403 |
| Avg Net Price | $13,315 | $10,440 |
| Median Earnings (6 yr) | $43,085 | $50,062 |
| 150%-Time Completion | 59.7% | 69.3% |
Largest gaps: Western Carolina University vs California State University-Long Beach
- OUT-OF-STATE-TUITI Western Carolina University leads on out-of-state tuition ($8,630 vs $19,950 at California State University-Long Beach)
- ACCEPTANCE-RATE California State University-Long Beach leads on acceptance rate (46.3% vs 81.8% at Western Carolina University)
- IN-STATE-TUITION Western Carolina University leads on in-state tuition ($4,630 vs $7,350 at California State University-Long Beach)
Western Carolina University profile · California State University-Long Beach profile · Compare other colleges
Out-of-State Tuition and other Scorecard questions
On out-of-state tuition, who leads between Western Carolina University and California State University-Long Beach?▼
Western Carolina University leads on out-of-state tuition at $8,630 versus $19,950 at California State University-Long Beach. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On acceptance rate, who leads between Western Carolina University and California State University-Long Beach?▼
California State University-Long Beach leads on acceptance rate at 46.3% versus 81.8% at Western Carolina University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On in-state tuition, who leads between Western Carolina University and California State University-Long Beach?▼
Western Carolina University leads on in-state tuition at $4,630 versus $7,350 at California State University-Long Beach. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); out-of-state tuition focus for this pair · 2025