# Western Carolina University: Mathematics (bachelor's)

Cullowhee, NC. IPEDS 200004, CIP 27.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-carolina-university/majors/mathematics

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $34,802
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $59,885 (U.S. median for this major: $70,257 across 309 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $27,000 (U.S. median $21,589)
- Rank in NC: 8 of 9 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the NC median for this major (9 colleges, $66,450): -$6,565
- Versus the U.S. median: -$10,372

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.34 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $59,885 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 | 1.5 years |
| 30-48k | $10,012 | $43,452 | 1.6 years |
| 48-75k | $12,605 | $54,706 | 2.1 years |
| 75-110k | $17,060 | $74,040 | 2.8 years |
| 110k+ | $17,992 | $78,085 | 3.0 years |

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

## Mathematics at NC colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke University | $297,029 | $13,000 | $29,612 | 97% |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $101,599 | $14,500 | $11,655 | 91% |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $92,594 | $21,256 | $17,303 | 85% |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | $66,941 | $21,946 | $20,109 | 71% |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | $66,450 | $25,000 | $15,435 | 69% |
| Appalachian State University | $62,271 | $17,500 | $16,836 | 75% |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | $61,555 | $25,661 | $10,965 | 56% |
| Western Carolina University | $59,885 | $27,000 | $13,315 | 60% |
| University of North Carolina Asheville | $56,247 | $24,455 | $12,250 | 55% |

## Careers
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (SOC 25-2031): median wage not reported metro, $57,650 NC, $72,040 U.S.; U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035
- Data Scientists (SOC 15-2051): median wage not reported metro, $119,090 NC, $120,230 U.S.; U.S. jobs 34.6% by 2035
- Natural Sciences Managers (SOC 11-9121): median wage not reported metro, $173,870 NC, $167,220 U.S.; U.S. jobs 8.2% 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).