Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $87,499. College Scorecard.
Net price by family income
Average after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year
Sticker price, line by line
| Per year, living on campus | All students |
|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $67,642 |
| Housing & meals | $17,848 |
| Books & supplies | $1,630 |
| Personal & travel | $3,320 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,941 |
| Total cost of attendance | $87,499 |
Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two.
Debt after graduation
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
Who gets aid
College Scorecard
Need-based and merit aid at Wake Forest University
What Wake Forest University reported for full-time first-year students in fall 2025. Merit aid is the money net price averages miss for families who don't qualify for need-based aid.
If you qualify for need-based aid
If you don't qualify for need-based aid
Items H2-H2A. Common Data Set 2025-26 (fall 2025 first-year students), published by the college.
Wake Forest University net price compared with other North Carolina colleges
Wake Forest University has the 52nd-lowest average net price of 56 North Carolina colleges we cover. Schools around it:
| Rank | College | Avg. net price | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | Montreat College | $27,061 | 50% | $45,151 |
| 49 | Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte | $27,426 | 49% | $43,418 |
| 50 | Bennett College | $28,299 | 25% | $36,654 |
| 51 | Lees-McRae College | $28,340 | 42% | $43,415 |
| 52 | Wake Forest University | $28,719 | 89% | $78,158 |
| 53 | Duke University | $29,612 | 97% | $97,800 |
| 54 | Queens University of Charlotte | $30,857 | 61% | $57,673 |
| 55 | High Point University | $38,707 | 74% | $61,389 |
| 56 | Elon University | $41,555 | 84% | $74,545 |
College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All North Carolina colleges →
Why Wake Forest University costs more or less than similar schools
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wake Forest University | 22% | $28,719 | 89% | $78,158 | This school |
| Duke University | 6% | $29,612 | 97% | $97,800 | |
| Davidson College | 13% | $17,379 | 91% | $81,400 | |
| Cabarrus College of Health Sciences | 23% | $17,618 | 71% | $58,708 | |
| Elon University | 66% | $41,555 | 84% | $74,545 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Wake Forest University would cost you $893 less per year than Duke University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Wake Forest University, mostly from a higher estimate for personal & travel costs (+$1,113).
- Wake Forest University gives aided families $1,320 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, North Carolina resident | Wake Forest University | Duke University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $67,642 | $68,758 | −$1,116 |
| Books & supplies | $1,630 | $1,602 | +$28 |
| Housing & meals | $17,848 | $17,458 | +$390 |
| Personal & travel | $3,320 | $2,207 | +$1,113 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,941 | −$2,953 | +$12 |
| Sticker price | $87,499 | $87,072 | +$427 |
| Average grants | −$58,780 | −$57,460 | −$1,320 |
| You pay | $28,719 | $29,612 | −$893 |
“+” means Wake Forest University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Wake Forest University cost questions
How much is tuition at Wake Forest University?
Tuition and fees are $67,642 a year.
What is the total cost of attending Wake Forest University?
The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $87,499 a year.
What do families actually pay at Wake Forest University?
After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $28,719 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $6,525; $48–75k pay $7,647; $110k+ pay $58,081.
Does Wake Forest University give merit scholarships?
For fall 2025, 54 full-time first-year students with no financial need received merit scholarships or grants from Wake Forest University, averaging $23,168 (Common Data Set 2025-26, excluding athletic awards). Students with need had 100% of it met on average.
How much debt do Wake Forest University graduates have?
The median federal loan debt at graduation is $19,500, and 0.6% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).
Is Wake Forest University the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Wake Forest University with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to Wake Forest University overview