- The Inkwell
- North Carolina
- Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NCTown: distantZIP 28723Founded 1889
- Sector
- Public
- Founded
- 1889
- Carnegie class
- Doctoral/professional university
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Federal aid since
- 1965
- Website
- www.wcu.edu
- Member of
- AASCU
North CarolinaPublic
Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University is a public university in Cullowhee, North Carolina, with 10,024 undergraduates. It admits 82% of applicants, graduates 61% within six years and costs $13,025 a year after aid.
61%graduate
Admission rate82%
Retention79%
4-year graduation44%
Pell Grant share39%
Federal loans44%
$13,025net price / year
82%admission rate
1157average SAT
61%graduate in 6 years
$53,764median earnings, 10 yrs
$19,500median debt
#1,083 of 1,704 for earnings#361 of 1,739 for lowest net price#635 of 1,738 for graduation rate#918 of 1,552 for selectivity
what it costs
Cost and net price
Net price is the average annual cost after grants and scholarships for full-time students who receive federal aid; it varies with family income.
Published cost
- Cost of attendance
- $21,165tuition, fees, housing, books, per year
- Tuition & fees, in-state
- $4,685
- Tuition & fees, out-of-state
- $8,685
- Average net price
- $13,025national median $19,980
Net price by family income
$0–30,000$10,446
$30,001–48,000$8,629
$48,001–75,000$10,322
$75,001–110,000$15,350
$110,001+$18,389
getting in
Admissions and test scores
Admission
- Admission rate
- 82%national median 77%
- Average SAT
- 1157
- SAT reading, middle 50%
- 560–660
- SAT math, middle 50%
- 520–610
- ACT composite, middle 50%
- 19–25
Against the national median
Admission rate · this college82%
Admission rate · U.S. median77%
Retention · this college79%
Retention · U.S. median76%
Graduation · this college61%
Graduation · U.S. median55%
Pell share · this college39%
Pell share · U.S. median39%
after enrolling
Graduation, earnings and debt
Completion
- Graduation rate, 6 years
- 61%within 150% of normal time
- Graduation rate, 4 years
- 44%
- First-year retention
- 79%
- Award within 8 years, all students
- 63%
Earnings and debt
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $46,593
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $53,764middle 50%: $38,265–$74,905
- Median debt at graduation
- $19,500
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Earnings ten years after entry
Upper quarter$74,905
Median, Western Carolina University$53,764
Lower quarter$38,265
U.S. median, all colleges$58,886
Former students working and not enrolled · College Scorecard
who studies here
Students and faculty
Undergraduates
- Degree-seeking undergraduates
- 10,024
- Part-time
- 18%
- Women / men
- 58% / 42%
- Average age at entry
- 22.3
- First-generation students
- 33%
- Pell Grant recipients
- 39%
Faculty and resources
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- 16 : 1
- Full-time faculty
- 74%
- Average faculty salary
- $9,069 / month
- Instructional spending per student
- $9,410
- Endowment, end of year
- $138,110,912
Race and ethnicity, undergraduates
White75%
Hispanic8.8%
Black6.7%
Asian1.3%
Two or more races4.4%
U.S. nonresident1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
Unknown0.9%
23 fields of study
Most popular fields
Share of bachelor’s degrees awarded, by broad field (CIP family).
Health professions22%
Business & management20%
Education6.6%
Psychology6.0%
Public administration & social service5.9%
Homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting5.0%
Visual & performing arts4.9%
Engineering technologies4.7%
keep comparing
Similar colleges
Public colleges in North Carolina
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC | $9,884 | 56% | $50,279 |
| North Carolina Central University Durham, NC | $16,708 | 47% | $46,956 |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC | $12,291 | 58% | $53,402 |
| Fayetteville State University Fayetteville, NC | $10,009 | 37% | $47,125 |
| University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke, NC | $10,522 | 44% | $48,029 |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC | $19,570 | 72% | $61,019 |
Same Carnegie class, similar price
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL | $13,111 | 56% | $59,436 |
| William Carey University Hattiesburg, MS | $13,507 | 57% | $46,286 |
| Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers, FL | $11,555 | 57% | $59,401 |
| Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, KY | $11,789 | 56% | $48,408 |
| The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN | $15,026 | 56% | $56,442 |
| University of St Francis Joliet, IL | $15,961 | 64% | $69,137 |
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education — institution file, most recent cohorts. UNITID 200004. Founding year, motto and memberships: Wikidata Q1050078.