Western Carolina University

www.wcu.edu

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2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$1,000

2023 Average Net Price

$12,252

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

86.7%

18,183 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

11,628

77.6% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

59.1%

1,168 Graduates

About

Western Carolina University is a higher education institution located in Jackson County, NC. In 2023, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Western Carolina University were General Business Administration & Management (253 degrees awarded), Registered Nursing (238 degrees), and Criminal Justice - Safety Studies (156 degrees).

In 2023, 3,458 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Western Carolina University. 60.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 39.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (2,761 degrees), 11.6 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (239 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Western Carolina University is $1,000, which is $−23,575 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,575).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Western Carolina University was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 2,621 total borrowers.

Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at Western Carolina University is $1,000, which is $23,575 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,575).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $12,252.

In 2023, 96% of undergraduate students attending Western Carolina University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 44% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$1,000

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at Western Carolina University was $1,000. The cost of tuition at Western Carolina University is $−23,575 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,575).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Western Carolina University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$12,252

2023 Value

5.91%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 Western Carolina University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $12,252. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of Western Carolina University grew by 5.91%.

This chart compares the average net price of Western Carolina University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$11,619

Room and Board

$664

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Western Carolina University was of $11,619 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 3.17% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $664. The cost of books and supplies increased by 6.92% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Western Carolina University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

96%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

44%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

96% of undergraduate students at Western Carolina University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2022, when 96% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Western Carolina University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at Western Carolina University was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 2621 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Western Carolina University received 18,183 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 1.48% annual growth. Out of those 18,183 applicants, 15,758 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 86.7% acceptance rate.

There were 11,628 students enrolled at Western Carolina University in 2023. 9% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Western Carolina University has an overall enrollment yield of 13.3%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

86.7%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

15,758

Accepted Out of 18,183

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Western Carolina University was 86.7% (15,758 admissions from 18,183 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 84.8%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants grew by 1.48%, while admissions grew by 3.66%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Western Carolina University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

Submission Percentage (2023)

190

Scores Submitted (2023)

9% of enrolled first-time students at Western Carolina University in 2023 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Western Carolina University had a total enrollment of 11,628 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at Western Carolina University is 9,027 students and the part-time enrollment is 2,601. This means that 77.6% of students enrolled at Western Carolina University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Western Carolina University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 75.8% White, 8.28% Hispanic or Latino, 6.78% Black or African American, 3.79% Two or More Races, 1.27% Asian, 0.808% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.12% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Western Carolina University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (43.1%), followed by White Male (32.9%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (5.25%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (57.2%), followed by White Male (22.4%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (4.43%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

77.6%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Western Carolina University in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 11,628 students. The full-time enrollment at Western Carolina University is 9,027 and the part-time enrollment is 2,601. This means that 77.6% of students enrolled at Western Carolina University are enrolled full-time compared with 68.2% at similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Western Carolina University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

76%

2023 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Western Carolina University was 76%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Masters Colleges and Universities (74%), Western Carolina University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Western Carolina University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
8,813 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
963 enrolled students
Black or African American
788 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Western Carolina University is 75.8% White, 8.28% Hispanic or Latino, 6.78% Black or African American, 3.79% Two or More Races, 1.27% Asian, 0.808% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.12% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Masters Colleges and Universities is 50.1% White, 17.7% Hispanic or Latino, and 13.4% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 98 students (0.843%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 734 more women than men received degrees from Western Carolina University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Western Carolina University is white (2,761 degrees awarded). There were 11.6 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (239 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Western Carolina University is General Business Administration & Management (253 degrees awarded), followed by Registered Nursing (238 degrees) and Criminal Justice - Safety Studies (156 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Western Carolina University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Public Administration and Social Service (261 degrees awarded), History (55 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (115 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Social workers, all other

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Western Carolina University are Social workers, all other (156,016 people), Other managers (149,958 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (114,746 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (111,405 people), and Secondary school teachers (85,507 people).

The most specialized majors at Western Carolina University in 2023 are Public Administration and Social Service (261 degrees awarded), History (55 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (115 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (52 degrees), and Engineering Technologies (139 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Western Carolina University are Surgeons, Diagnostic medical sonographers, Podiatrists, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, and Media and communication workers, all other

The most specialized majors at Western Carolina University are Public Administration and Social Service (261 degrees awarded), History (55 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (115 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (52 degrees), and Engineering Technologies (139 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Western Carolina University are Elementary & secondary schools (5,586,329 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (3,275,256 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (2,452,532 people), Computer Systems Design (2,343,824 people), and Construction (1,303,670 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Western Carolina University.

Most Common (2023)

General Business Administration & Management
253 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
238 degrees awarded
Criminal Justice - Safety Studies
156 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Western Carolina University was General Business Administration & Management with 253 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Western Carolina University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,362

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

2,096

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 1,362 degrees were awarded to men at Western Carolina University, which is 0.65 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,096).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Western Carolina University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 124 degrees were awarded to men at Western Carolina University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.81 times less than the 153 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 239 degrees were awarded to men at Western Carolina University in Registered Nursing, which is 6.29 times more than the 38 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

43%

100% Completion Time

61%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 43% of students graduating from Western Carolina University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 61% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 62% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Masters Colleges and Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (80%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Western Carolina University is Female and Asian (80% graduation rate). Across all Masters Colleges and Universities, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.599% of graduates (7 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
2,761 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
239 degrees awarded
Black or African American
165 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Western Carolina University is white (2,761 degrees awarded). There were 11.6 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (239 degrees).

0.839% of degree recipients (29 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Female
1,667 degrees awarded
White Male
1,094 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
140 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Western Carolina University is white female (1,667 degrees awarded). There were 1.52 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1,094 degrees).

Operations

Western Carolina University has an endowment valued at nearly $126M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 3.81M (3.03%) compared to the 5.72% average return (2.84M on 49.7M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2023, Western Carolina University had a total salary expenditure of 269M. Western Carolina University employs 175 Assistant professors, 144 Associate professors and 120 Professors. Most academics at Western Carolina University are Female Assistant professor (98), Female Associate professor (78), and Male Assistant professor (77).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Western Carolina University are: Office and Administrative Support, with 184 employees, Service, with 182 employees, and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 135 employees.

Endowment

$126M

2023 Endowment

3.27%

decline from 2022

Western Carolina University has an endowment valued at about $126M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of Western Carolina University declined 3.27% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $76.1M higher than than the median endowment of Masters Colleges and Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Western Carolina University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$111M

2023 Salaries

2.98%

growth from 2022

In 2023, Western Carolina University paid a median of $111M in salaries, which represents 41.2% of their overall expenditure ($269M) and a 2.98% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 4.31% growth between 2021 and 2022, and a 0.727% growth between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Masters Colleges and Universities is 36.1M (39.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$44.9M

Instructional Salaries

549

Number of Employees

In 2023, Western Carolina University paid a total of $44.9M to 549 employees working as instructors, which represents 40.6% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $1.12M (2.97%) for similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

Occupations by Share

Assistant professor

Most Common Instructor

175 Employees

Office and Administrative Support

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

184 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at Western Carolina University were Assistant professor with 175 employees, Associate professor with 144 employees, and Professor with 120 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Western Carolina University were Office and Administrative Support with 184 employees, Service with 182 employees, and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 135 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Female Assistant professor
Female Associate professor
Male Assistant professor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Western Carolina University was Female Assistant professor with 98 employees, Female Associate professor with 78 employees, and Male Assistant professor with 77 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Western Carolina University.

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