U.S. median for this major: $77,992.
College Scorecard field of study; 86 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 41% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,250.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $19,992. College Scorecard.
Western Carolina University Finance: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Western Carolina University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $8,816 | $38,261 | 1.6 years |
| $30–48k | $10,012 | $43,452 | 1.8 years |
| $48–75k | $12,605 | $54,706 | 2.2 years |
| $75–110k | $17,060 | $74,040 | 3.0 years |
| $110k+ | $17,992 | $78,085 | 3.2 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 Finance graduates 4 years after graduating ($58,076) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $24,560 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Finance at North Carolina colleges
Every North Carolina college we cover that reports Finance graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wake Forest University | $145,996 | $19,500 | $28,719 | 89% |
| 2 | Elon University | $103,426 | $19,500 | $41,555 | 84% |
| 3 | Queens University of Charlotte | $94,719 | — | $30,857 | 61% |
| 4 | East Carolina University | $78,324 | $23,142 | $15,739 | 63% |
| 5 | Campbell University | $78,021 | $25,000 | $24,516 | 61% |
| 6 | Appalachian State University | $75,396 | $21,267 | $16,836 | 75% |
| 7 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | $74,965 | $22,400 | $15,435 | 69% |
| 8 | Wingate University | $67,315 | $22,500 | $20,748 | 46% |
| 9 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | $64,077 | $24,000 | $10,965 | 56% |
| 10 | Western Carolina University | $58,076 | $23,625 | $13,315 | 60% |
| 11 | Winston-Salem State University | $52,895 | — | $13,479 | 47% |
8 more North Carolina colleges offer Finance but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Finance graduates
Financial analyst
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +7.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
General and Operations Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Financial Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +9.7% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Western Carolina University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Western Carolina University
- Acceptance rate: 82% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 60% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $49,458
- Full cost breakdown · all 55 majors · overview
Related majors at Western Carolina University
- Business Administration$57,713
- Accounting$61,346
- Marketing$56,568
- Economics—
Western Carolina University Finance questions
How much do Western Carolina University Finance graduates earn?
Finance graduates of Western Carolina University earn a median $58,076 four years after graduating and $40,575 one year after. The U.S. median for Finance graduates across 438 colleges is $77,992.
How much debt do Western Carolina University Finance graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Finance graduates of Western Carolina University is $23,625, about 41% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,250.
Is Western Carolina University a good school for Finance in North Carolina?
On pay, Finance graduates of Western Carolina University earn $58,076 four years out, $17,320 below the median for the same major across 11 North Carolina colleges ($75,396) and $19,916 below the U.S. median ($77,992). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Western Carolina University rank for Finance in North Carolina?
Of 11 North Carolina colleges reporting Finance graduate earnings, Western Carolina University ranks 10th. The highest is Wake Forest University at $145,996.
What jobs do Finance graduates get?
A common career is financial analyst, with a median wage of $102,390 in North Carolina and $102,740 nationally. Others include general and operations managers and financial managers.
Is Western Carolina University the right fit for your family?
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Western Carolina University Finance: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-carolina-university/majors/finance (College Scorecard and BLS data).