More selective than 24% of North Carolina colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $19,992. College Scorecard.
Higher than 68% of North Carolina colleges we cover and 62% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 67% of North Carolina colleges we cover and 39% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Western Carolina University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 18,183 applicants, Western Carolina University admitted 15,758 and 2,103 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1080–1270 on the SAT or 19–25 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Western Carolina University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for North Carolina residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Western Carolina University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Western Carolina University took 4.3 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in North Carolina. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $8,816 | $38,261 | 2.4 years |
| $30–48k | $10,012 | $43,452 | 2.7 years |
| $48–75k | $12,605 | $54,706 | 3.4 years |
| $75–110k | $17,060 | $74,040 | 4.6 years |
| $110k+ | $17,992 | $78,085 | 4.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (41% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($49,458) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $15,942 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Western Carolina University majors, earnings & careers
Western Carolina University offers 55 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 10
- Health & Medicine · 9
- Business & Finance · 8
- Humanities & Languages · 6
- Science & Math · 6
- Engineering · 5
- Arts & Design · 4
- Education · 4
- Communications & Media · 2
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at Western Carolina University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $86,853 | $27,000 |
| Construction Engineering Technology / Technician | $83,954 | $27,000 |
| Engineering | $82,500 | $25,550 |
| Nursing | $79,533 | $23,163 |
| Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians | $79,441 | $23,154 |
| Engineering Technologies / Technicians | $78,801 | $25,250 |
| Public Administration | $70,331 | $18,375 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | $65,010 | $23,835 |
Quick list of all 55 majors
- Accounting$61,346
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$65,010
- Anthropology$45,809
- Biology$50,180
- Broadcasting / Digital Media$43,954
- Business Administration$57,713
- Chemistry$51,213
- Communications$43,322
- Computer Science$86,853
- Construction Engineering Technology / Technician$83,954
- Criminal Justice$55,903
- Dietetics$53,622
- Economics—
- Education—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$47,105
- Education (Subject Teaching)$48,232
- Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians$79,441
- Electrical Engineering—
- Engineering$82,500
- Engineering Technologies / Technicians$78,801
- English$45,079
- Entrepreneurship—
- Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy$49,834
- Environmental Science / Conservation$40,831
- Finance$58,076
- Geology / Earth Science—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$58,467
- Health Administration—
- Health Sciences—
- History$42,698
- Hospitality Management$49,798
- International / Global Studies—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$50,761
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Management Information Systems$62,128
- Marketing$56,568
- Mathematics$59,885
- Music$44,014
- Nursing$79,533
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management$41,786
- Philosophy—
- Political Science$52,077
- Psychology$48,350
- Public Administration$70,331
- Public Health$61,698
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences$49,898
- Security / Homeland Security$54,246
- Social Sciences—
- Social Work$50,025
- Sociology$46,195
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$40,744
- Special Education$47,031
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders$52,183
- Studio Art$43,029
- Theatre$34,516
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Cullowhee
2 bedrooms $1,039.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 54 inches of rain a year, 4 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Jackson County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Jackson County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Western Carolina University with similar schools
Similar public colleges in North Carolina by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Carolina University | 82% | $13,315 | 60% | $49,458 | This school |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 89% | $10,965 | 56% | $48,160 | |
| Fayetteville State University | 82% | $7,892 | 38% | $40,144 | |
| North Carolina Central University | 87% | $15,359 | 42% | $42,968 | |
| Winston-Salem State University | 78% | $13,479 | 47% | $45,344 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Western Carolina University would cost you $2,350 more per year than University of North Carolina at Greensboro, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Western Carolina University, mostly from lower tuition & fees (−$3,031).
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro gives aided families $3,731 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, North Carolina resident | Western Carolina University | UNCG | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $4,630 | $7,661 | −$3,031 |
| Books & supplies | $693 | $850 | −$157 |
| Housing & meals | $11,764 | $10,534 | +$1,230 |
| Personal & travel | $3,330 | $3,336 | −$6 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$425 | −$1,008 | +$583 |
| Sticker price | $19,992 | $21,373 | −$1,381 |
| Average grants | −$6,677 | −$10,408 | +$3,731 |
| You pay | $13,315 | $10,965 | +$2,350 |
“+” means Western Carolina 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.
Common questions about Western Carolina University
What is the Western Carolina University acceptance rate?
Western Carolina University accepts 82% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 15,758 of 18,183 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1080–1270 on the SAT or 19–25 on the ACT.
How much does Western Carolina University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $19,992 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $13,315 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $8,816 and families earning $110k+ pay $17,992.
How much do Western Carolina University graduates earn?
Former Western Carolina University students earn a median $49,458 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Western Carolina University graduation rate?
60% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 79% return for their second year.
How long does a Western Carolina University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Western Carolina University costs about $54,706 after grants ($12,605 a year for 4.3 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $49,458 ten years after starting, $15,942 more than high school graduates in North Carolina ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in 3.4 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Western Carolina University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-carolina-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).