Western Carolina University

School Overview: Acceptance Rate, Tuition, and More

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About Western Carolina University

School Type:

Religious Affiliation: Not applicable

Status: Non-profit

Military Friendly: Yes

Accreditation: regional

Western Carolina University is a medium-sized public university located on a rural campus in Cullowhee, North Carolina. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 10,145, and admissions are selective, with an acceptance rate of 79%. The university offers 65 bachelor's degrees, has an average graduation rate of 61%, and a student-faculty ratio of 15:1. Tuition and fees for in-state students are $1,000, while tuition and fees for out-of-state students are $5,000.

Cullowhee, NC

$1,000

Avg in-state
tuition

$5,000

Avg in-state
tuition

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Admissions Breakdown

79%

Acceptance Rate Insight

79% of students were accepted during the 2021-2022 school year. Sometimes schools with midrange acceptance rates have higher standards of entry but are still accessible to many students who apply.

75%

Retention Rate Insight

75% of full-time students stayed to continue their studies the following academic year. These students started in Fall 2020 and returned in Fall 2021.

61%

Graduation Rate Insight

61% of students graduated out of all full-time, first-time students who began their studies in Fall 2015. Keep in mind many students who enroll are not typically first-time students, as most are adult learners. Therefore, the number of first-time students is traditionally low.

Application Considerations

Test scoresConsidered (not required)

High school transcriptRequired

High school rankRecommended

Letter of recommendationConsidered (not required)

High school GPARequired

Open admissionNo

Completion of college prep programRequired

Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL)Required

Transfer Credit Policy

Dual enrollmentYes

Credit for qualified life experience*Yes

Advance placement (AP) creditsYes

*This can include previous jobs, trainings, licenses/credentials, or seminars. You may need to complete an exam or provide a portfolio to earn credit.

SAT & ACT

ACT 25th-75th Percentile19-25

SAT 25th-75th Percentile1060-1230

Learning Environment

Student Body Stats

12k

Students enrolled

54%

Online student enrollment

15:1

Student to faculty ratio

Ways Students Can Learn

OnlineCheck Bold
On-campusCheck Bold
HybridCheck Bold

Demographics

White

78%

Unknown

1%

Black

6%

Hispanic

8%

Two or more races

3%

Non-U.S. Citizen

2%

Asian

1%

American Indian/Alaska Native

1%

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

0%

Socio-economic diversity

37% of students received an income-based Federal Pell Grant intended for low-income students.

37%

Online Programs

Offers Online Programs

Yes

Online Programs

28

Total Online Enrollment

6388

Student Location Breakout

Percent of Programs Online

76% On-campus

24% Online

Types of Online Programs Offered

CertificatesX BoldNot offered

AssociateX BoldNot offered

Bachelor'sCheck Bold12% online

Graduate CertificateCheck Bold42% online

Master'sCheck Bold37% online

DoctorateCheck Bold25% online

Student Charges

Tuition and Required Fees

Student LevelIn-stateOut-of-state
Undergraduate$59,784$59,784
Graduate$54,672$54,672

Cost of Undergraduate Attendance

Costs based on full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking undergraduates for the 2021–2022 academic year.

Costs to ConsiderPrice
Books and supplies$1200
On-campus room and board$17758
On-campus other expenses$2600
Off-campus (not with family) room and boardCurrently unavailable
Off-campus (not with family) other expensesCurrently unavailable
Off-campus (with family) other expensesCurrently unavailable

Total Undergraduate Cost

Total cost by categoryIn-stateOut-of-state
On-campus$81342$81342
Off-campus without family$60984$60984
Off-campus with family$60984$60984

Financial Breakdown

Students Receiving Aid

Federal Grant Aid

48%

State Grant Aid

33%

Institution Grant Aid

64%

Pell Grant

37%

Average Aid Awarded

Federal Grant Aid$4,392
State Grant Aid$1,886
Institution Grant Aid$2,310
Pell Grant Aid$4,590

Financial Outlook

$22k

Average student debtafter graduation

$33k

Average salary 6 years after starting school

Varsity Athletic Teams

NCAA Division I-FCS

4.2%

of the overall student body is a member of an athletic team.

Participation

MenWomen
  • All Track Combined
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Tennis
  • Volleyball

Degrees Awarded by Program

Degrees given for the 2021-2022 academic year.

#ProgramsBAMADoc
1BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES.
2BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES.
3COMMUNICATION, JOURNALISM, AND RELATED PROGRAMS.
4COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
5EDUCATION.
6ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS.
7ENGINEERING.
8ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS.
9ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS.
10FOREIGN LANGUAGES, LITERATURES, AND LINGUISTICS.
11HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED CLINICAL SCIENCES.
12HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS.
13HISTORY
14HISTORY.
15HOMELAND SECURITY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIREFIGHTING AND RELATED PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
16LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, GENERAL STUDIES AND HUMANITIES.
17MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS.
18MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES.
19NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION.
20PARKS, RECREATION, LEISURE, AND FITNESS STUDIES.
21PARKS, RECREATION, LEISURE, FITNESS, AND KINESIOLOGY.
22PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES.
23PHYSICAL SCIENCES.
24PSYCHOLOGY.
25PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS.
26SECURITY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
27SOCIAL SCIENCES.
28VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.

Data collected from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), [2021-2022]. In the absence of IPED data, information was collected directly from the school and is accurate as of the date of collection. Contact the school directly for the most current and complete information.