Western Carolina University
Basic Information
Type
Public
Geographical Reach
Regional
Location
Cullowhee, NC
Population
60,000
Website
http://www.wcu.edu/
Demographics
Total Undergraduates
9,867
Men / Women
42% / 58%
White
72%
Hispanic
8%
Black
7%
Mixed
5%
International
2%
Native American
1%
Asian
1%
From State
76%
From Region
15%
Academics
Undergraduate Degrees
Business & Economics
24%
Health Sciences
21%
Education
7%
Arts
6%
Life & Natural Sciences
4%
Professional
4%
Physical Sciences & Math
3%
Engineering
2%
Computer Science
1%
Financial
In-State Tuition & Fees
$4,630
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees
$8,630
Est. In-State Cost
$5,989
Est. Out-of-State Cost
$11,164
10-Year ROI
$159,000
ROI Percentile
60th
Retention & Graduation
Full-Time Retention
79%
4-Year Graduation Rate
44%
6-Year Graduation Rate
60%
Transfer-Out Rate
27%
Weather
Comfortable Days
130 (95% 😎)
Sunshine Hours
2,520 (36%)
Days Without Precipitation
241 (41%)
Admissions
Uses Common App
Yes
Acceptance Rate
79%
Yield (Unbound)
13%
Regular Decision
Jan 1
Research
Research Level
R3
Expenditure
| Engineering, Computing & Math | $1M | #385 |
| Humanities & Social Sciences | $0M | #433 |
| Life & Natural Sciences | $1M | #465 |
Graduate Degrees
| Life & Natural Sciences | 64 | #250 |
| Engineering, Computing & Math | 0 | #258 |
| Humanities & Social Sciences | 19 | #378 |
Honors College
Name
Brinson Honors College
Students
1,200 (12%)
Standardized Tests
Test Scores
Test Policy
optional
Submitted Test Scores
24%
SAT Range
1110
–
1240
SAT Math Range
520
–
610
SAT RW Range
560
–
660
ACT Range
19
–
25
Earnings by Major Category
Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).
Schools & Majors
| ⇅ | Trends | Degrees | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | ROI | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Carolina University | 2,539 | 40% / 60% | 2% | $54,922 | 96% | ||
| Electrical Engineering | 16 — | 94% / 6% | 12% | $100,147 | 98 | 88% | |
| General Engineering | 37 — | 84% / 16% | 0% | $80,850 | 94 | 100% | |
| Computer Science | 22 +1 | 86% / 14% | 5% | $93,802 | 98 | 96% | |
| Chemistry | 20 +9 | 55% / 45% | 5% | $58,765 | 75 | 100% | |
| Forensic Chemistry | 40 +5 | 20% / 80% | 0% | $58,765 | 75 | 100% | |
| Geosciences | 11 — | 45% / 55% | 0% | $52,785 | 64 | — | |
| Mathematics | 14 +3 | 36% / 64% | 0% | $43,145 | 40 | 100% | |
| Biology | 68 +6 | 24% / 76% | 3% | $55,306 | 69 | 95% | |
| Dietetics/Dietitian | 14 — | 14% / 86% | 0% | $43,962 | 42 | 90% | |
| Environmental Science | 15 +1 | 33% / 67% | 0% | $44,645 | 44 | 100% | |
| Communication Sciences and Disorders | 27 — | 15% / 85% | 0% | $45,599 | 47 | 96% | |
| Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic) | 91 +3 | 57% / 43% | 1% | $57,020 | 72 | 95% | |
| Environmental Health | 11 — | 36% / 64% | 0% | $59,893 | 77 | 100% | |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences | 121 — | 23% / 77% | 1% | $54,247 | 67 | — | |
| Nursing | 266 — | 10% / 90% | 1% | $72,955 | 89 | 97% | |
| Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy | 19 — | 47% / 53% | 0% | $44,961 | 45 | 89% | |
| Accounting | 30 +3 | 60% / 40% | 10% | $61,038 | 78 | 91% | |
| Applied Economics | 4 — | 0% / 100% | 0% | $63,295 | 81 | — | |
| Business Management and Administration | 255 +15 | 45% / 55% | 1% | $50,856 | 60 | 98% | |
| Entrepreneurship | 9 — | 67% / 33% | 11% | $55,331 | 69 | — | |
| Finance | 63 +15 | 57% / 43% | 6% | $64,679 | 82 | 97% | |
| Hospitality Management | 16 — | 31% / 69% | 6% | $46,877 | 50 | 95% | |
| Management Information Systems and Statistics | 34 +1 | 79% / 21% | 9% | $77,089 | 92 | 96% | |
| Marketing | 70 +36 | 47% / 53% | 3% | $57,435 | 73 | 97% | |
| Marketing | 50 +2 | 64% / 36% | 0% | $57,435 | 73 | 97% | |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | 31 — | 45% / 55% | 0% | $41,615 | 35 | 84% | |
| Sports Management | 35 +1 | 74% / 26% | 0% | $40,898 | 33 | 100% | |
| Anthropology | 32 +8 | 6% / 94% | 0% | $37,633 | 24 | 97% | |
| Criminal Justice | 139 +19 | 47% / 53% | 1% | $53,478 | 66 | 97% | |
| English | 41 +1 | 22% / 78% | 0% | $35,809 | 19 | 88% | |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 26 +1 | 65% / 35% | 4% | $42,455 | 38 | 100% | |
| History | 30 +3 | 37% / 63% | 0% | $50,346 | 59 | 94% | |
| Intercultural and International Studies | 8 +4 | 38% / 62% | 12% | $48,268 | 54 | — | |
| Philosophy | 9 +2 | 56% / 44% | 0% | $35,643 | 18 | 100% | |
| Political Science | 23 +4 | 48% / 52% | 0% | $49,601 | 57 | 96% | |
| Psychology | 150 +13 | 24% / 76% | 1% | $40,666 | 32 | 93% | |
| Public Administration | 105 +7 | 70% / 30% | 0% | $61,307 | 78 | 89% | |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 17 — | 53% / 47% | 0% | $25,455 | 4 | 96% | |
| Social Work | 51 — | 10% / 90% | 0% | $46,183 | 48 | 94% | |
| Sociology | 15 +12 | 40% / 60% | 0% | $48,855 | 56 | 89% | |
| Spanish | 10 +4 | 10% / 90% | 0% | $39,929 | 30 | 100% | |
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric | 48 — | 60% / 40% | 4% | $48,606 | 55 | 98% | |
| Elementary Education | 40 — | 8% / 92% | 5% | $44,949 | 45 | 94% | |
| English Education | 7 — | 43% / 57% | 0% | $47,600 | 52 | 97% | |
| General Education | 5 +3 | 20% / 80% | 0% | $45,119 | 45 | — | |
| Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching | 5 — | 20% / 80% | 0% | $44,949 | 45 | 94% | |
| Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching | 82 — | 2% / 98% | 0% | $44,949 | 45 | 94% | |
| Mathematics Teacher Education | 3 — | 33% / 67% | 0% | $47,600 | 52 | 97% | |
| Physical Education Teaching and Coaching | 15 — | 60% / 40% | 7% | $47,600 | 52 | 97% | |
| Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education | 4 — | 0% / 100% | 0% | $47,600 | 52 | 97% | |
| Social Studies Teacher Education | 5 — | 60% / 40% | 0% | $47,600 | 52 | 97% | |
| Special Education | 13 — | 0% / 100% | 0% | $43,364 | 40 | 100% | |
| Art Education | 5 — | 0% / 100% | 0% | $47,600 | 52 | 97% | |
| Fine Arts | 10 +1 | 10% / 90% | 0% | $35,357 | 18 | 90% | |
| Fine/Studio Arts | 33 — | 24% / 76% | 0% | $35,357 | 18 | 90% | |
| Interior Design | 22 — | 9% / 91% | 0% | $51,717 | 62 | 95% | |
| Music | 10 +1 | 40% / 60% | 0% | $48,930 | 56 | 97% | |
| Music Education | 16 — | 44% / 56% | 6% | $47,600 | 52 | 97% | |
| Music Performance | 35 — | 66% / 34% | 3% | $48,930 | 56 | 97% | |
| Theater | 31 — | 35% / 65% | 3% | $35,165 | 17 | 92% | |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | 53 — | 89% / 11% | 0% | $85,272 | 95 | 100% | |
| Electrical Engineering Technology | 10 — | 70% / 30% | 0% | $77,852 | 92 | 100% | |
| Engineering Technologies | 42 — | 90% / 10% | 5% | $66,644 | 84 | 100% |