Western Carolina University: Statistics
Updated:
| Position | Category |
|---|---|
| #1619 of 14,131 | In the World |
| #439 of 2,597 | In North America |
| #394 of 2,496 | In the United States |
| #12 of 65 | In North Carolina |
| #309 of 1,011 | For Special Education |
| Top50% | For 76 other topics |
Quick Review
- Acceptance rate
- 85%
- Undergraduates
- 9,956
- Graduates
- 1,679
- Male:Female Ratio
- 41:59
- 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 85% 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 | 85% | 83% | 86% |
| Applicants | 17,917 | 7,118 | 10,767 |
| Admissions | 15,201 | 5,913 | 9,270 |
| Freshmen enrolled full time | 1,914 | 821 | 1,092 |
| Freshmen enrolled part time | 18 | 13 | 5 |
3,482 students enrolled in some distance education courses.
2,858 enrolled exclusively in distance education.
SAT scores
Among admitted applicants
176 or 9%
submitted SAT
25% of them
had 1020
or below
75% of them
had 1240
or below
Typical SAT scores of first-years in Western Carolina University are 1020-1240 (middle 50% range).
ACT scores
Among admitted applicants
547 or 28%
submitted ACT
25% of them
had 19
or below
75% of them
had 26
or below
Typical ACT scores of first-years in Western Carolina University are 19-26 (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 | 8905 (77%) |
|---|---|
| Hispanic | 891 (8%) |
| Black or African American | 742 (6%) |
| Two or more races | 407 (4%) |
| Nonresident Alien | 297 (3%) |
| Asian | 148 (1%) |
| Race or Ethnicity unknown | 121 (1%) |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 46 (0.4%) |
| Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | 15 (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
- $4,526
- Students receiving aid
- 100%
Tuition and fees
| Undergraduates | Graduates | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition in-district | $1,000 | $4,435 |
| Tuition in-state | $1,000 | $4,435 |
| Tuition out-of-state | $5,000 | $14,842 |
| Fee in-district | $3,453 | $3,131 |
| Fee in-state | $3,453 | $3,131 |
| Fee out-of-state | $3,453 | $3,131 |
Room and board costs
| Dormitory capacity | 4,347 |
|---|---|
| Combined charge for room and board | $11,504 |
| Room charge | $6,475 |
| Meal charge | $5,029 |
Western Carolina University majors
Western Carolina University has granted 2,555 bachelor's degrees across 63 programs, 614 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 | 250 | 39 | |
| Business Administration and Management, General | 252 | 29 | |
| Criminal Justice & Safety Studies | 139 | ||
| Psychology, General | 119 | 12 | |
| Health Services & Allied Health & Health Sciences, General | 127 | ||
| Social Work | 59 | 52 | |
| Biology & Biological Sciences, General | 84 | 8 | |
| Emergency Medical Technology & Technician (EMT Paramedic) | 89 | ||
| Public Administration | 76 | 8 | |
| Elementary Education and Teaching | 81 | ||
| Marketing & Marketing Management, General | 68 | ||
| Sport and Fitness Administration & Management | 28 | 39 | |
| Construction Engineering Technology & Technician | 43 | 20 | |
| Marketing, Other | 46 | 17 | |
| Engineering Technologies & Technicians, General | 53 | 9 | |
| Kindergarten & Preschool Education and Teaching | 61 | ||
| Communication Sciences and Disorders, General | 32 | 27 | |
| Education, General | 54 | ||
| Engineering, General | 50 | ||
| Educational Leadership and Administration, General | 33 | 16 | |
| Accounting | 34 | 13 | |
| English Language and Literature, General | 38 | 6 | |
| Physical Therapy & Therapist | 44 | ||
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric | 44 | ||
| Anthropology, General | 43 | ||
| Human Resources Management & Personnel Administration, General | 42 | ||
| Music Performance, General | 41 | ||
| Chemistry, General | 25 | 15 | |
| Health & Health Care Administration & Management | 40 | ||
| Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other | 39 | ||
| Management Information Systems, General | 39 | ||
| Educational, Instructional, and Curriculum Supervision | 33 | ||
| Finance, General | 33 | ||
| Fine & Studio Arts, General | 29 | 4 | |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General | 32 | ||
| Hospitality Administration & Management, General | 31 | ||
| Electrical and Electronics Engineering | 29 | ||
| Environmental Science | 28 | ||
| Environmental & Natural Resources Management and Policy, General | 27 | ||
| History, General | 19 | 8 | |
| Therapeutic Recreation & Recreational Therapy | 27 | ||
| Dietetics & Dietitian | 26 | ||
| Forensic Chemistry | 26 | ||
| Music Teacher Education | 24 | ||
| College Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 23 | ||
| Drama and Dramatics & Theatre Arts, General | 21 | ||
| Political Science and Government, General | 21 | ||
| Computer Science | 20 | ||
| Interior Design | 19 | ||
| Nursing Practice | 19 | ||
| Outdoor Education | 18 | ||
| Athletic Training & Trainer | 17 | ||
| Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology & Technician | 16 | ||
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Other | 14 | ||
| Spanish Language and Literature | 14 | ||
| Counselor Education & School Counseling and Guidance Services | 13 | ||
| Liberal Arts and Sciences & Liberal Studies | 13 | ||
| Sociology, General | 13 | ||
| English & Language Arts Teacher Education | 12 | ||
| Mathematics, General | 12 | ||
| Philosophy | 12 | ||
| Special Education and Teaching, General | 12 | ||
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other | 11 | ||
| Art & Art Studies, General | 10 | ||
| Entrepreneurship & Entrepreneurial Studies | 10 | ||
| Geology & Earth Science, General | 10 | ||
| Physical Education Teaching and Coaching | 10 | ||
| Music, General | 9 | ||
| Environmental Health | 8 | ||
| International & Globalization Studies | 8 | ||
| Junior High & Intermediate & Middle School Education and Teaching | 8 | ||
| Social Studies Teacher Education | 5 | ||
| Art Teacher Education | 4 | ||
| Science Teacher Education & General Science Teacher Education | 3 | ||
| Industrial Technology & Technician | 2 | ||
| Mathematics Teacher Education | 2 | ||
| Grand Total | 2,555 | 614 | 79 |
Western Carolina University has a graduation rate of 61%, which is among the 39% highest for universities in the US.
| Total | Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 61% | 58% | 63% |
| |||
Publications & Citations
Western Carolina University has published 5,067 scientific papers with 71,096 citations received. The research profile covers a range of fields, including Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, Political Science, Law, Psychology, Computer Science, Sociology, Environmental Science, Medicine, Biology, and Philosophy.
Publication / Citation count by topic
Annual publication & citation counts
| Year | Publications | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 36 | 160 |
| 1992 | 38 | 146 |
| 1993 | 36 | 151 |
| 1994 | 43 | 202 |
| 1995 | 50 | 181 |
| 1996 | 45 | 185 |
| 1997 | 70 | 240 |
| 1998 | 67 | 295 |
| 1999 | 80 | 320 |
| 2000 | 79 | 394 |
| 2001 | 60 | 451 |
| 2002 | 74 | 558 |
| 2003 | 68 | 643 |
| 2004 | 78 | 615 |
| 2005 | 91 | 812 |
| 2006 | 90 | 922 |
| 2007 | 129 | 1102 |
| 2008 | 133 | 1287 |
| 2009 | 147 | 1582 |
| 2010 | 191 | 1766 |
| 2011 | 174 | 2141 |
| 2012 | 184 | 2544 |
| 2013 | 198 | 3079 |
| 2014 | 175 | 3458 |
| 2015 | 213 | 3595 |
| 2016 | 218 | 3612 |
| 2017 | 212 | 3785 |
| 2018 | 294 | 4365 |
| 2019 | 225 | 4870 |
| 2020 | 326 | 5795 |
| 2021 | 253 | 6178 |
| 2022 | 232 | 6254 |
| 2023 | 255 | 6576 |
Western Carolina University alumni
-
Ariana DeBose
- Occupations
- danceractorsinger
- Biography
-
Ariana DeBose is an American actress. 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 a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2022, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
-
David Sedaris
- Occupations
- comedianwriteressayist
- 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.
-
Louis Ducruet
- Biography
-
Louis Robert Paul Ducruet is the son of Princess Stéphanie of Monaco and Daniel Ducruet.
-
Rich Hall
- Occupations
- television actorcomedy writerscreenwriteractor
- Biography
-
Richard Travis Hall is an American comedian, writer, documentary maker, and musician, first coming to prominence as a sketch comedian in the 1980s. He wrote and performed for a range of American networks, in series such as Fridays, Not Necessarily the News (popularising the "sniglet" neologism), and Saturday Night Live.
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 | 1,658 |
| 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 |