Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC · Public · www.wcu.edu/ ↗

Western Carolina University is a public college in Cullowhee, North Carolina, set in a distant town. It mostly awards bachelor's degrees and has 10,024 undergraduate degree-seeking students. It also offers graduate degrees. By number of bachelor's degrees awarded, its largest programs are Business Administration, Management and Operations; Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing; and Psychology, General.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Compare with similar schools: Public universities in North Carolina

Compare its largest majors across colleges: Business Administration, Management and Operations · Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Psychology, General

Western Carolina University at a glance

Undergraduate enrollment
10,024
Similar schools: 5,632
Average net priceiAverage sticker price minus typical grants and scholarships: the amount most students actually pay out-of-pocket plus loans.
$13,025
Similar schools: $14,226
Admit rateiShare of applicants who get accepted. Lower = more selective.
81.8%
Similar schools: 83.6%
Graduation rate (6 yrs)iShare of full-time students who finished a 4-year degree within 6 years (which is 150% of the standard 4-year time).
61.1%
Similar schools: 51.6%
Median earnings (10 yrs)iMedian earnings of students 10 years after they started college, among those working and not enrolled in further schooling.
$53,764
Similar schools: $59,509
Median debt at graduationiMedian federal student-loan balance carried by students who graduated. Doesn't include Parent PLUS or private loans.
$19,500
Similar schools: $19,500
First-year retentioniShare of first-year students who came back for year two. A baseline measure of student satisfaction.
79.1%
Similar schools: 76.5%

What the data shows about Western Carolina University

Comparisons below use the medians for the 595 public schools that mostly award bachelor's degrees in the College Scorecard. Its average net price is $13,025 a year, lower than the $14,226 median for similar schools. It admits 81.8% of applicants, about the same as the 83.6% median. 79.1% of first-time, full-time students return for a second year (similar-school median: 76.5%). 61.1% of full-time students finish a four-year degree within six years, higher than the 51.6% median. Ten years after enrolling, former students who are working earn a median of $53,764, lower than the $59,509 median for similar schools. Graduates leave with a median of $19,500 in federal student loans (similar-school median: $19,500).