# Gardner-Webb University (GWU)

Private nonprofit college in Boiling Springs, NC. IPEDS ID 198561.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/gardner-webb-university · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/gardner-webb-university.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 77% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $17,674 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 55%; beats 59% of NC colleges and 53% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $48,039; beats 59% of NC colleges and 35% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $16,453

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $15,304 |
| 30-48k | $14,594 |
| 48-75k | $13,769 |
| 75-110k | $15,946 |
| 110k+ | $22,438 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 5.07 years on average (6% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $48,039 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $15,304 | $77,591 | 5.3 years |
| 30-48k | $14,594 | $73,992 | 5.1 years |
| 48-75k | $13,769 | $69,809 | 4.8 years |
| 75-110k | $15,946 | $80,846 | 5.6 years |
| 110k+ | $22,438 | $113,761 | 7.8 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $47,091
- Tuition and fees: $34,760
- Housing and meals: $10,770; books: $1,000

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: 495–608; SAT math: 480–590; ACT: 19–25 (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 4,670 applicants, 4,064 admitted, 411 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 77%, ACT 19–25 (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 87%, ACT 20–26 (IPEDS Admissions)

## Majors (39 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $71,337 | $75,117 | $24,922 |
| Computer Science | not reported | $68,175 | not reported |
| Business Administration | $42,840 | $61,489 | $27,000 |
| Accounting | $44,261 | $58,918 | $27,000 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | not reported | $58,061 | not reported |
| Criminal Justice | $35,433 | $51,709 | $25,000 |
| Psychology | not reported | $49,587 | $22,466 |
| Biology | not reported | $48,505 | $27,000 |
| Health Administration | $39,472 | $47,089 | $24,312 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $39,850 | $45,110 | $27,000 |
| Psychology (Clinical / Counseling) | $34,491 | $42,936 | $29,166 |
| Communications | not reported | $35,982 | not reported |
| Journalism | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Linguistics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| American Sign Language | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| English | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Physiology | not reported | not reported | $21,500 |
| Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| International / Global Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Religious Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Chemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Fire Protection | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Social Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Economics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Political Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Sociology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theatre | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Studio Art | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Music | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Arts and Entertainment Management | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Finance | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| International Business | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Marketing | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| History | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Nursing → Registered nurse: median wage not reported (metro), $84,350 (NC), $97,550 (U.S.)
- Business Administration → Management analyst: median wage not reported (metro), $98,560 (NC), $101,860 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).