WAU-DC vs University of Charleston
Washington Adventist University (WAU) and University of Charleston (UC) are two distinct institutions of higher learning with unique characteristics. WAU, a private Christian university, boasts a 100% acceptance rate, while UC, a private nonsectarian university, has a more selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 75%. Both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate and graduate programs, with popular majors at WAU including nursing, biology, and business administration, and popular majors at UC including nursing, business administration, and education. WAU's student body is predominantly female (63%) and religiously affiliated (70%), while UC's student body is more evenly split between genders (49% female, 51% male) and religiously diverse. WAU has a higher graduation rate (68%) compared to UC (58%). To help you make an informed decision about your higher education journey, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these
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![]() University of Charleston |
![]() Washington Adventist University |
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Overview |
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Location | Charleston, West Virginia | Takoma Park, Maryland |
Campus setting | City: Small | Suburb: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 74.0% | 65.0% |
![]() |
Yes | No |
Religious affiliation | Protestant | |
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 69.7% | 61.8% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$25
Graduate:
$50
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$25 |
SAT range | N/A | N/A |
ACT range | N/A | N/A |
Students submitting SAT score | ||
Students submitting ACT score | ||
Total number of applicants | 1,984 | 1,744 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,383 | 1,077 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 246 | 56 |
Yield rate | 17.8% | 5.2% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Not required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Not required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $47,450 | $32,200 |
Average net price | $20,086 | $13,414 |
Tuition | $30,900 | $23,400 |
Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$5,450
Meal plan:
$4,350
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Room/dormitory:
$4,470
Meal plan:
$5,628
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
99.0%
Average amount $24,484 |
95.0%
Average amount $14,746 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
57.0%
Average amount $5,403 |
47.0%
Average amount $7,102 |
Students taking out private loans |
1.0%
Average amount $10,756 |
0.0%
Average amount $0 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
2,162
Men 58.6% Women 41.4% |
690
Men 33.9% Women 66.1% |
Graduate students |
764
Men 58.0% Women 42.0% |
95
Men 25.3% Women 74.7% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
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Low
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Out-of-state students | 35.1% | 32.1% |
International students | 6.1% | 9.8% |
Campus local/setting | City: Small | Suburb: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 756 | 400 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | West Virginia Ohio Virginia Florida Pennsylvania | Maryland District of Columbia Virginia Florida New Jersey |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 14:1 | 7:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Higher Learning Commission | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 43.0% | 40.0% |
Dropout rate | 20.9% | 57.1% |
Transferred out | 35.1% | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctoral Degrees)
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Master's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
Security Policy and Strategy (Master's Degrees)
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N/A |
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