# Western Carolina University: Engineering (bachelor's)

Cullowhee, NC. IPEDS 200004, CIP 14.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-carolina-university/majors/engineering

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $62,244
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $82,500 (U.S. median for this major: $88,063 across 57 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $25,550 (U.S. median $27,000)
- Rank in NC: 4 of 4 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the NC median for this major (4 colleges, $86,596): -$4,096
- Versus the U.S. median: -$5,563

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.34 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $82,500 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 | under 1 year |
| 30-48k | $10,012 | $43,452 | under 1 year |
| 48-75k | $12,605 | $54,706 | 1.1 years |
| 75-110k | $17,060 | $74,040 | 1.5 years |
| 110k+ | $17,992 | $78,085 | 1.6 years |

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

## Engineering at NC colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $99,838 | $30,518 | $17,303 | 85% |
| University of North Carolina Asheville | $88,346 | $31,000 | $12,250 | 55% |
| East Carolina University | $84,847 | $26,978 | $15,739 | 63% |
| Western Carolina University | $82,500 | $25,550 | $13,315 | 60% |

## Careers
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041): median wage not reported metro, $167,840 NC, $171,270 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

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).