Western Carolina University: Statistics
Updated:
| Position | Category |
|---|---|
| #1660 of 14,131 | In the World |
| #449 of 2,597 | In North America |
| #403 of 2,496 | In the United States |
| #12 of 65 | In North Carolina |
| #300 of 1,020 | For Special Education |
| Top50% | For 75 other topics |
Quick Review
- Acceptance rate
- 87%
- Undergraduates
- 10,009
- Graduates
- 1,619
- Male:Female Ratio
- 40:60
- Control
- Public
- Highest Degree
- Doctor's degree
- Website
- wcu.edu
Western Carolina University Acceptance rate and admissions statistics
Western Carolina University has an acceptance rate of 87% and is in the middle in terms of the difficulty of admission among universities in the United States. The university reports the admission statistics without distinguishing between local and international students.
| Total | Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance Rate | 87% | 83% | 89% |
| Applicants | 18,183 | 7,044 | 11,122 |
| Admissions | 15,758 | 5,858 | 9,890 |
| Freshmen enrolled full time | 2,082 | 863 | 1,218 |
| Freshmen enrolled part time | 21 | 8 | 13 |
3,030 students enrolled in some distance education courses.
2,823 enrolled exclusively in distance education.
SAT scores
Among admitted applicants
190 or 9%
submitted SAT
25% of them
had 1050
or below
75% of them
had 1260
or below
Typical SAT scores of first-years in Western Carolina University are 1050-1260 (middle 50% range).
ACT scores
Among admitted applicants
493 or 23%
submitted ACT
25% of them
had 20
or below
75% of them
had 26
or below
Typical ACT scores of first-years in Western Carolina University are 20-26 (middle 50% range).
Admissions requirements
| College-preparatory program | Required |
|---|---|
| Secondary school GPA | Required |
| Secondary school record | Required |
| TOEFL | Required |
| Recommendations | Considered but not required |
| SAT/ACT | Considered but not required |
| Secondary school rank | Considered but not required |
| Formal demonstration of competencies | Neither required nor recommended |
| Other Tests | Neither required nor recommended |
Enrollment demographics by race or ethnicity
| White | 8813 (76%) |
|---|---|
| Hispanic | 963 (8%) |
| Black or African American | 788 (7%) |
| Two or more races | 441 (4%) |
| Nonresident Alien | 269 (2%) |
| Asian | 148 (1%) |
| Race or Ethnicity unknown | 98 (0.8%) |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 37 (0.3%) |
| Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | 14 (0.1%) |
Costs per year: Tuition, Housing, Fees
The final cost of attendance varies for each student based on household income, residency, program, and other factors.
- Average aid awarded
- $5,442
- Students receiving aid
- 99%
Tuition and fees
| Undergraduates | Graduates | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition in-district | $1,000 | $4,568 |
| Tuition in-state | $1,000 | $4,568 |
| Tuition out-of-state | $5,000 | $15,287 |
| Fee in-district | $3,532 | $3,210 |
| Fee in-state | $3,532 | $3,210 |
| Fee out-of-state | $3,532 | $3,210 |
Room and board costs
| Dormitory capacity | 4,760 |
|---|---|
| Combined charge for room and board | $11,764 |
| Room charge | $6,521 |
| Meal charge | $5,243 |
Western Carolina University majors
Western Carolina University has granted 2,582 bachelor's degrees across 62 programs, 555 master's across 27 programs, and 79 doctorate degrees across 3 programs. Below is a table with majors that lead to degrees at Western Carolina University.
| Major | Bachelor | Master | Doctoral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing & Registered Nurse | 238 | 38 | |
| Business Administration and Management, General | 225 | 24 | |
| Psychology, General | 136 | 10 | |
| Criminal Justice & Safety Studies | 143 | ||
| Health Services & Allied Health & Health Sciences, General | 141 | ||
| Public Administration | 107 | 22 | |
| Social Work | 50 | 69 | |
| Biology & Biological Sciences, General | 78 | 7 | |
| Construction Engineering Technology & Technician | 48 | 25 | |
| Kindergarten & Preschool Education and Teaching | 67 | ||
| Marketing & Marketing Management, General | 65 | ||
| Sport and Fitness Administration & Management | 36 | 29 | |
| Communication Sciences and Disorders, General | 37 | 27 | |
| Marketing, Other | 55 | 9 | |
| Emergency Medical Technology & Technician (EMT Paramedic) | 59 | ||
| English Language and Literature, General | 46 | 13 | |
| Elementary Education and Teaching | 58 | ||
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric | 58 | ||
| Finance, General | 57 | ||
| Accounting | 40 | 12 | |
| History, General | 44 | 8 | |
| Engineering Technologies & Technicians, General | 44 | 7 | |
| Human Resources Management & Personnel Administration, General | 49 | ||
| Physical Therapy & Therapist | 46 | ||
| Engineering, General | 45 | ||
| Junior High & Intermediate & Middle School Education and Teaching | 44 | ||
| Anthropology, General | 39 | ||
| Fine & Studio Arts, General | 37 | ||
| Management Information Systems, General | 36 | ||
| Educational Leadership and Administration, General | 18 | 14 | |
| Health & Health Care Administration & Management | 31 | ||
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General | 31 | ||
| College Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 30 | ||
| Drama and Dramatics & Theatre Arts, General | 30 | ||
| Environmental Science | 29 | ||
| Forensic Chemistry | 29 | ||
| Hospitality Administration & Management, General | 29 | ||
| Music Performance, General | 29 | ||
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other | 29 | ||
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other | 28 | ||
| Education, General | 27 | ||
| Therapeutic Recreation & Recreational Therapy | 25 | ||
| Environmental & Natural Resources Management and Policy, General | 23 | ||
| Interior Design | 23 | ||
| Computer Science | 22 | ||
| Political Science and Government, General | 22 | ||
| Mathematics, General | 20 | ||
| Nursing Practice | 19 | ||
| Special Education and Teaching, General | 19 | ||
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Other | 18 | ||
| Electrical and Electronics Engineering | 17 | ||
| Music Teacher Education | 17 | ||
| Outdoor Education | 17 | ||
| Chemistry, General | 13 | 3 | |
| Sociology, General | 16 | ||
| Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology & Technician | 15 | ||
| Dietetics & Dietitian | 13 | ||
| Philosophy | 12 | ||
| Physical Education Teaching and Coaching | 12 | ||
| Counselor Education & School Counseling and Guidance Services | 11 | ||
| Spanish Language and Literature | 11 | ||
| International & Globalization Studies | 10 | ||
| Environmental Health | 9 | ||
| Entrepreneurship & Entrepreneurial Studies | 8 | ||
| Geology & Earth Science, General | 8 | ||
| Athletic Training & Trainer | 7 | ||
| Art Teacher Education | 6 | ||
| English & Language Arts Teacher Education | 6 | ||
| Music, General | 6 | ||
| Art & Art Studies, General | 5 | ||
| Social Studies Teacher Education | 5 | ||
| Liberal Arts and Sciences & Liberal Studies | 4 | ||
| School Psychology | 4 | ||
| Science Teacher Education & General Science Teacher Education | 4 | ||
| Mathematics Teacher Education | 3 | ||
| Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | 1 | ||
| Grand Total | 2,582 | 555 | 79 |
Western Carolina University has a graduation rate of 59%, which is among the 42% highest for universities in the US.
| Total | Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 59% | 55% | 62% |
| |||
Publications & Citations
Western Carolina University has published 5,634 scientific papers with 103,860 citations received. The research profile covers a range of fields, including Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, Political Science, Law, Psychology, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Sociology, Medicine, Biology, and Engineering.
Publication / Citation count by topic
Annual publication & citation counts
| Year | Publications | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 39 | 206 |
| 1993 | 38 | 214 |
| 1994 | 45 | 250 |
| 1995 | 50 | 239 |
| 1996 | 50 | 251 |
| 1997 | 69 | 312 |
| 1998 | 70 | 371 |
| 1999 | 84 | 403 |
| 2000 | 84 | 525 |
| 2001 | 62 | 577 |
| 2002 | 79 | 734 |
| 2003 | 75 | 805 |
| 2004 | 80 | 810 |
| 2005 | 98 | 1064 |
| 2006 | 94 | 1228 |
| 2007 | 126 | 1434 |
| 2008 | 133 | 1625 |
| 2009 | 158 | 1919 |
| 2010 | 190 | 2216 |
| 2011 | 195 | 2693 |
| 2012 | 198 | 3199 |
| 2013 | 200 | 3694 |
| 2014 | 198 | 4274 |
| 2015 | 239 | 4464 |
| 2016 | 239 | 4572 |
| 2017 | 231 | 5093 |
| 2018 | 323 | 5791 |
| 2019 | 246 | 6667 |
| 2020 | 361 | 8135 |
| 2021 | 276 | 8715 |
| 2022 | 255 | 8800 |
| 2023 | 276 | 9606 |
| 2024 | 207 | 9423 |
Western Carolina University alumni
-
Ariana DeBose
- Occupations
- singeractordancer
- Biography
-
Ariana DeBose is an American actress and singer. She has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for a Tony Award and two Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2022, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
-
David Sedaris
- Occupations
- writercomedianessayist
- Biography
-
David Raymond Sedaris is an American humorist, comedian, author, and radio contributor. He was publicly recognized in 1992 when National Public Radio broadcast his essay "Santaland Diaries". He published his first collection of essays and short stories, Barrel Fever, in 1994. His next book, Naked (1997), became his first of a series of New York Times Bestsellers, and his 2000 collection Me Talk Pretty One Day won the Thurber Prize for American Humor.
-
Drew Starkey
- Occupations
- television actorfilm actor
- Biography
-
Joseph Andrew Starkey is an American actor. He began his career with supporting roles in the teen drama films Love, Simon and The Hate U Give (both 2018). He gained recognition for his portrayal of troubled teenager Rafe Cameron in the Netflix adventure series Outer Banks (2020−present), and has since starred in Luca Guadagnino's romantic drama film Queer (2024).
-
Louis Ducruet
- Biography
-
Louis Robert Paul Ducruet is the son of Princess Stéphanie of Monaco and Daniel Ducruet.
General info
| Alternative names | WCU |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1889 |
| Motto | No Matter Your Choice, Decide to Succeed |
| Colors | purple, gold |
| Academic calendar | August to August (August - December; January-May; May-August) |
| Total FTE staff | 1,674 |
| Carnegie classification | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Location and contacts
| Address | Highway 107 Cullowhee, North Carolina, 28723-9646 United States |
|---|---|
| City population | 8,000 |
| Phone | 8282277100 |