Western Carolina University
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and families looking for lower cost. no major red flags in the data. a public school with 10,024 students.
About This School
Western Carolina University is a public institution located in Cullowhee, North Carolina with approximately 10,024 undergraduate students enrolled. Western Carolina University has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 82%. The average net price after financial aid is $13,315 per year. The graduation rate is 60%, and the typical graduate earns $41,300 within 10 years of enrollment.
Western Carolina University (WCU) is a public university in Cullowhee, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the University of North Carolina system.
The numbers tell a mixed story here: the $12,579 average net price is genuinely affordable, and graduating with only $15,348 in median debt is a real advantage — but a 59% graduation rate means roughly 4 in 10 students don't finish, which is worth asking about seriously. Median earnings of $41,300 a decade out are modest, so this school makes the most sense if you're pursuing a specific program WCU is known for, like education, nursing, or the arts, rather than attending without a clear direction. Worth considering if the price is right for your family and you have a concrete plan — less so as a default choice.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 13% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Western Carolina University graduates earn most above the national rate in Public Administration ($70,331 vs $65,093 nationally), and most below it in Finance and Financial Management Services ($58,076 vs $83,343).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 253 | $57,713 | $68,257 | −$10,544 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 238 | $79,533 | $88,910 | −$9,377 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 169 | $47,105 | $47,382 | −$277 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 156 | $55,903 | $55,378 | +$525 |
| Marketing | 152 | $56,568 | $69,303 | −$12,735 |
| Psychology, General | 148 | $48,350 | $50,706 | −$2,356 |
| Public Administration | 120 | $70,331 | $65,093 | +$5,238 |
| Biology, General | 85 | $50,180 | $57,214 | −$7,034 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 85 | $58,076 | $83,343 | −$25,267 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 60 | $65,010 | $70,786 | −$5,776 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 58 | $43,322 | $56,359 | −$13,037 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 53 | $48,232 | $51,389 | −$3,157 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing a bachelor's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (10,024 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
Schools Like This in North Carolina
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Cape Fear Community College
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North Carolina A & T State University
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Fayetteville Technical Community College
Fayetteville, NC · Public
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC · Public
Forsyth Technical Community College
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See How Colleges Compare
Western Carolina University is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Western Carolina University?
Western Carolina University has an acceptance rate of 82%, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Western Carolina University hard to get into?
Not especially. Western Carolina University has an acceptance rate of 82%, so admissions are relatively accessible for applicants who meet the requirements.
How much does Western Carolina University cost?
The average net price at Western Carolina University is about $13,315 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Western Carolina University?
Western Carolina University has a graduation rate of 60%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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