Western Carolina University: Statistics
Updated:
| Position | Category |
|---|---|
| #1520 of 14,131 | In the World |
| #413 of 2,597 | In North America |
| #370 of 2,496 | In the United States |
| #11 of 65 | In North Carolina |
| #299 of 1,000 | For Special Education |
| Top50% | For 73 other topics |
Quick Review
- Acceptance rate
- 82%
- Undergraduates
- 10,112
- Graduates
- 1,574
- 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 82% 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 | 82% | 79% | 84% |
| Applicants | 19,742 | 7,815 | 11,892 |
| Admissions | 16,154 | 6,146 | 9,990 |
| Freshmen enrolled full time | 2,023 | 853 | 1,170 |
| Freshmen enrolled part time | 29 | 7 | 22 |
3,047 students enrolled in some distance education courses.
2,836 enrolled exclusively in distance education.
SAT scores
Among admitted applicants
110 or 5%
submitted SAT
25% of them
had 1080
or below
75% of them
had 1270
or below
Typical SAT scores of first-years in Western Carolina University are 1080-1270 (middle 50% range).
ACT scores
Among admitted applicants
393 or 19%
submitted ACT
25% of them
had 19
or below
75% of them
had 25
or below
Typical ACT scores of first-years in Western Carolina University are 19-25 (middle 50% range).
Admissions requirements
| College-preparatory program | Required |
|---|---|
| Secondary school GPA | Required |
| Secondary school rank | Required |
| Secondary school record | Required |
| TOEFL | Required |
| Recommendations | Considered but not required |
| SAT/ACT | 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 | 8795 (76%) |
|---|---|
| Hispanic | 984 (8%) |
| Black or African American | 800 (7%) |
| Two or more races | 512 (4%) |
| Nonresident Alien | 239 (2%) |
| Asian | 149 (1%) |
| Race or Ethnicity unknown | 98 (0.8%) |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 35 (0.3%) |
| Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | 9 (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
- $5,993
- Students receiving aid
- 90%
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 | $3,630 | $3,308 |
| Fee in-state | $3,630 | $3,308 |
| Fee out-of-state | $3,630 | $3,308 |
Room and board costs
| Dormitory capacity | 4,570 |
|---|---|
| Combined charge for room and board | $12,354 |
| Room charge | $6,790 |
| Meal charge | $5,564 |
Western Carolina University majors
Western Carolina University has granted 2,539 bachelor's degrees across 63 programs, 575 master's across 28 programs, and 83 doctorate degrees across 4 programs. Below is a table with majors that lead to degrees at Western Carolina University.
| Major | Bachelor | Master | Doctoral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing & Registered Nurse | 266 | 35 | |
| Business Administration and Management, General | 255 | 27 | |
| Psychology, General | 150 | 14 | |
| Criminal Justice & Safety Studies | 139 | ||
| Public Administration | 105 | 18 | |
| Health Services & Allied Health & Health Sciences, General | 121 | ||
| Social Work | 51 | 65 | |
| Emergency Medical Technology & Technician (EMT Paramedic) | 91 | ||
| Kindergarten & Preschool Education and Teaching | 82 | ||
| Biology & Biological Sciences, General | 68 | 12 | |
| Construction Engineering Technology & Technician | 53 | 25 | |
| Marketing & Marketing Management, General | 70 | ||
| Sport and Fitness Administration & Management | 35 | 31 | |
| Finance, General | 63 | ||
| Marketing, Other | 50 | 12 | |
| Communication Sciences and Disorders, General | 27 | 27 | |
| Engineering Technologies & Technicians, General | 42 | 9 | |
| Human Resources Management & Personnel Administration, General | 50 | ||
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric | 48 | ||
| Physical Therapy & Therapist | 47 | ||
| Accounting | 30 | 15 | |
| English Language and Literature, General | 41 | 4 | |
| Education, General | 40 | ||
| Elementary Education and Teaching | 40 | ||
| Forensic Chemistry | 40 | ||
| Engineering, General | 37 | ||
| History, General | 30 | 6 | |
| Educational Leadership and Administration, General | 19 | 16 | |
| Music Performance, General | 35 | ||
| Management Information Systems, General | 34 | ||
| Fine & Studio Arts, General | 33 | ||
| Anthropology, General | 32 | ||
| Drama and Dramatics & Theatre Arts, General | 31 | ||
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General | 31 | ||
| College Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 30 | ||
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other | 28 | ||
| Environmental & Natural Resources Management and Policy, General | 26 | ||
| Chemistry, General | 20 | 5 | |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other | 24 | ||
| Political Science and Government, General | 23 | ||
| Computer Science | 22 | ||
| Interior Design | 22 | ||
| Health & Health Care Administration & Management | 21 | ||
| Therapeutic Recreation & Recreational Therapy | 19 | ||
| Nursing Practice | 17 | ||
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Other | 17 | ||
| Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | 16 | ||
| Electrical and Electronics Engineering | 16 | ||
| Hospitality Administration & Management, General | 16 | ||
| Music Teacher Education | 16 | ||
| Environmental Science | 15 | ||
| Physical Education Teaching and Coaching | 15 | ||
| Sociology, General | 15 | ||
| Dietetics & Dietitian | 14 | ||
| Mathematics, General | 14 | ||
| Counselor Education & School Counseling and Guidance Services | 13 | ||
| Special Education and Teaching, General | 13 | ||
| Outdoor Education | 12 | ||
| Environmental Health | 11 | ||
| Geology & Earth Science, General | 11 | ||
| Art & Art Studies, General | 10 | ||
| Athletic Training & Trainer | 10 | ||
| Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology & Technician | 10 | ||
| Music, General | 10 | ||
| Spanish Language and Literature | 10 | ||
| Entrepreneurship & Entrepreneurial Studies | 9 | ||
| Philosophy | 9 | ||
| International & Globalization Studies | 8 | ||
| English & Language Arts Teacher Education | 7 | ||
| School Psychology | 6 | ||
| Art Teacher Education | 5 | ||
| Junior High & Intermediate & Middle School Education and Teaching | 5 | ||
| Liberal Arts and Sciences & Liberal Studies | 5 | ||
| Social Studies Teacher Education | 5 | ||
| Applied Economics | 4 | ||
| Science Teacher Education & General Science Teacher Education | 4 | ||
| Clinical Psychology | 3 | ||
| Mathematics Teacher Education | 3 | ||
| Industrial Technology & Technician | 1 | ||
| Grand Total | 2,539 | 575 | 83 |
Western Carolina University has a graduation rate of 60%, which is among the 40% highest for universities in the US.
| Total | Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 60% | 55% | 65% |
| |||
Publications & Citations
Western Carolina University has published 5,771 scientific papers with 110,620 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 39 | 214 |
| 1994 | 45 | 251 |
| 1995 | 50 | 239 |
| 1996 | 50 | 252 |
| 1997 | 69 | 312 |
| 1998 | 70 | 371 |
| 1999 | 84 | 404 |
| 2000 | 84 | 526 |
| 2001 | 62 | 578 |
| 2002 | 79 | 735 |
| 2003 | 76 | 806 |
| 2004 | 80 | 810 |
| 2005 | 98 | 1059 |
| 2006 | 94 | 1228 |
| 2007 | 126 | 1435 |
| 2008 | 133 | 1625 |
| 2009 | 157 | 1919 |
| 2010 | 191 | 2220 |
| 2011 | 196 | 2695 |
| 2012 | 198 | 3203 |
| 2013 | 199 | 3690 |
| 2014 | 199 | 4275 |
| 2015 | 239 | 4505 |
| 2016 | 240 | 4583 |
| 2017 | 231 | 5091 |
| 2018 | 324 | 5790 |
| 2019 | 246 | 6665 |
| 2020 | 362 | 8142 |
| 2021 | 276 | 8728 |
| 2022 | 256 | 8809 |
| 2023 | 277 | 9621 |
| 2024 | 212 | 9552 |
| 2025 | 158 | 8501 |
Western Carolina University alumni
-
Ariana DeBose
- Occupations
- actordancersinger
- 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
- comedianessayistwriter
- 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.
-
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 | 1,712 |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral/Professional Universities |
Location and contacts
| Address | Highway 107 Cullowhee, North Carolina, 28723-9646 United States |
|---|---|
| City population | 8,000 |
| Phone | 8282277100 |