# Western Carolina University

Public college in Cullowhee, NC. IPEDS ID 200004.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-carolina-university · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/western-carolina-university.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 82% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $13,315 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 60%; beats 68% of NC colleges and 62% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $49,458; beats 67% of NC colleges and 39% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $15,348

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $8,816 |
| 30-48k | $10,012 |
| 48-75k | $12,605 |
| 75-110k | $17,060 |
| 110k+ | $17,992 |

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

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.34 years on average (41% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $49,458 (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 | $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 |

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

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $19,992 in-state; about $23,992 out-of-state
- Tuition and fees: $4,630 in-state, $8,630 out-of-state
- Housing and meals: $11,764; books: $693

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: 560–660; SAT math: 520–610; ACT: 19–25 (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 18,183 applicants, 15,758 admitted, 2,103 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 82%, ACT 19–25 (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 87%, ACT 20–26 (IPEDS Admissions)

### Common Data Set 2025-26 (Fall 2025)
- Very important: rigor, class rank, gpa, test scores; important: essay, recommendations, extracurriculars, talent, character, work experience, interest; considered: interview, first generation, geography, state residency, volunteer
- Early decision: no; early action: not reported; waitlist: no
- Average high school GPA of enrolled first-years: 3.45
- Source: https://www.wcu.edu/_files/CDS-2025-2026-WCU.pdf

## Majors (55 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $28,892 | $86,853 | $27,000 |
| Construction Engineering Technology / Technician | $63,401 | $83,954 | $27,000 |
| Engineering | $62,244 | $82,500 | $25,550 |
| Nursing | $68,774 | $79,533 | $23,163 |
| Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians | $67,003 | $79,441 | $23,154 |
| Engineering Technologies / Technicians | $59,813 | $78,801 | $25,250 |
| Public Administration | $56,445 | $70,331 | $18,375 |
| Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) | $53,398 | $65,010 | $23,835 |
| Management Information Systems | $47,867 | $62,128 | $23,000 |
| Public Health | not reported | $61,698 | $26,343 |
| Accounting | $40,607 | $61,346 | $20,000 |
| Mathematics | $34,802 | $59,885 | $27,000 |
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | $32,842 | $58,467 | $29,911 |
| Finance | $40,575 | $58,076 | $23,625 |
| Business Administration | $39,513 | $57,713 | $23,495 |
| Marketing | $33,197 | $56,568 | $23,508 |
| Criminal Justice | $38,682 | $55,903 | $21,461 |
| Security / Homeland Security | not reported | $54,246 | $21,500 |
| Dietetics | $17,970 | $53,622 | $24,905 |
| Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders | $24,521 | $52,183 | $21,287 |
| Political Science | not reported | $52,077 | $25,000 |
| Chemistry | $26,513 | $51,213 | $20,824 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $32,428 | $50,761 | $25,000 |
| Biology | $28,381 | $50,180 | $26,037 |
| Social Work | $36,727 | $50,025 | $25,857 |
| Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences | $37,608 | $49,898 | $24,000 |
| Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy | $36,846 | $49,834 | $21,962 |
| Hospitality Management | $29,395 | $49,798 | $26,000 |
| Psychology | $27,505 | $48,350 | $23,250 |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | $41,444 | $48,232 | $25,500 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $40,594 | $47,105 | $24,714 |
| Special Education | $41,376 | $47,031 | $20,485 |
| Sociology | $23,374 | $46,195 | $23,250 |
| Anthropology | $28,262 | $45,809 | $22,595 |
| English | $29,927 | $45,079 | $25,000 |
| Music | $26,135 | $44,014 | $27,000 |
| Broadcasting / Digital Media | $19,125 | $43,954 | $25,000 |
| Communications | $28,996 | $43,322 | $18,500 |
| Studio Art | $24,253 | $43,029 | $26,000 |
| History | $34,909 | $42,698 | $24,004 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | $30,485 | $41,786 | $22,252 |
| Environmental Science / Conservation | not reported | $40,831 | not reported |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | $36,179 | $40,744 | $23,250 |
| Theatre | $21,824 | $34,516 | $26,000 |
| Education | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Electrical Engineering | $69,067 | not reported | $31,000 |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | not reported | not reported | $26,000 |
| International / Global Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Philosophy | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Geology / Earth Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Social Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Economics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Health Sciences | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Health Administration | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Entrepreneurship | not reported | not reported | not reported |

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