# Wake Forest University

Private nonprofit college in Winston-Salem, NC. IPEDS ID 199847.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/wake-forest-university · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/wake-forest-university.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 22% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $28,719 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 89%; beats 93% of NC colleges and 95% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $78,158; beats 96% of NC colleges and 92% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $19,500

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $6,525 |
| 30-48k | $6,331 |
| 48-75k | $7,647 |
| 75-110k | $12,771 |
| 110k+ | $58,081 |

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 4.05 years on average (87% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $78,158 (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 | $6,525 | $26,426 | under 1 year |
| 30-48k | $6,331 | $25,641 | under 1 year |
| 48-75k | $7,647 | $30,970 | under 1 year |
| 75-110k | $12,771 | $51,723 | 1.2 years |
| 110k+ | $58,081 | $235,228 | 5.3 years |

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

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $87,499
- Tuition and fees: $67,642
- Housing and meals: $17,848; books: $1,630

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: 700–750; SAT math: 710–770; ACT: 32–34 (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 17,479 applicants, 3,768 admitted, 1,385 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 22%, ACT 32–34 (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 22%, ACT 32–34 (IPEDS Admissions)

### Common Data Set 2025-26 (Fall 2025)
- Very important: rigor, class rank, gpa, essay, character; important: recommendations, interview, extracurriculars, talent; considered: test scores, first generation, alumni relation, geography, state residency, religion, volunteer, work experience, interest
- Early decision: yes; early action: yes; waitlist: yes
- Aid (full-time first-years): average 99.91% of need met; 303 of 320 with need fully met; merit aid to students without need: 54 students, average $23,168
- Source: https://prod.wp.cdn.aws.wfu.edu/sites/202/2026/06/CDS_2025-2026-PDF_Template_WFU.pdf

## Majors (38 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management Science / Analytics | not reported | $146,608 | not reported |
| Finance | $85,944 | $145,996 | $19,500 |
| Business | $76,722 | $118,167 | $18,899 |
| Computer Science | $75,625 | $115,493 | $20,674 |
| Economics | $56,416 | $98,209 | $20,927 |
| Political Science | $47,161 | $85,668 | $23,133 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $21,192 | $79,599 | $23,250 |
| Communications | $42,055 | $77,984 | $22,250 |
| English | $31,449 | $77,847 | $19,500 |
| Psychology | $34,823 | $64,814 | $21,500 |
| Biology | $30,666 | $63,292 | $22,612 |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | not reported | $60,875 | not reported |
| Sociology | $46,257 | $60,635 | $23,000 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Area Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Ethnic / Gender Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Engineering | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| German | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Classics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Biochemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Statistics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Philosophy | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Religious Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Chemistry | not reported | not reported | $22,250 |
| Physics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Anthropology | 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 |
| Accounting | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| History | not reported | not reported | $23,000 |

## Major to career
- Communications → Public relations specialist: median wage $61,580 (Winston-Salem, NC), $67,230 (NC), $74,750 (U.S.)
- Business → Management analyst: median wage $82,050 (Winston-Salem, NC), $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

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