Basic Information

Type Public
Geographical Reach Regional
Location Cullowhee, NC
Population 60,000
Map of the United States

Weather

Comfortable Days 130 (95% 😎)
Sunshine Hours 2,520 (36%)
Days Without Precipitation 241 (41%)

Honors College

Name Brinson Honors College
Students 1,200 (14%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 8,679
Men / Women 44% / 56%
From State 76%
From Region 15%
Athletes 5.9%

Racial/Ethnic

White 75%
Hispanic 9%
Black 7%
Mixed 4%
International 2%
Native American 1%
Asian 1%

Schools & Majors

Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Western Carolina University 2,391 41% / 59% 2% $58,127 73 96%
Electrical Engineering 20 80% / 20% 10% $103,500 99 88%
General Engineering 35 +1 77% / 23% 9% $83,557 94 100%
Computer Science 31 +1 94% / 6% 3% $96,310 98 96%
Chemistry 24 +6 50% / 50% 8% $60,146 76 100%
Forensic Chemistry 49 +3 20% / 80% 0% $60,146 76 100%
Geosciences 6 +1 17% / 83% 0% $56,583 70
Mathematics 13 +10 46% / 54% 0% $44,184 40 100%
Biology 63 +6 33% / 67% 2% $57,135 71 95%
Dietetics/Dietitian 10 10% / 90% 0% $45,668 45 90%
Environmental Science 20 +3 30% / 70% 0% $46,024 46 100%
Communication Sciences and Disorders 27 0% / 100% 4% $47,369 49 96%
Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic) 70 +1 60% / 40% 0% $59,233 74 95%
Environmental Health 6 50% / 50% 0% $62,217 78 100%
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences 102 27% / 73% 1% $57,249 71
Nursing 292 15% / 85% 1% $75,786 90 97%
Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy 18 22% / 78% 0% $46,706 47 89%
Accounting 20 +6 55% / 45% 10% $63,397 80 91%
Applied Economics 3 +2 67% / 33% 33% $66,573 83
Business Management and Administration 224 +20 43% / 57% 2% $52,822 63 98%
Entrepreneurship 9 56% / 44% 11% $58,938 74
Finance 76 +17 67% / 33% 3% $67,179 83 97%
Hospitality Management 13 +1 31% / 69% 0% $48,689 53 95%
Management Information Systems and Statistics 28 +1 71% / 29% 25% $80,069 92 96%
Marketing 38 +4 39% / 61% 0% $59,655 75 97%
Marketing 82 +22 48% / 52% 4% $59,655 75 97%
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management 33 64% / 36% 0% $42,946 36 84%
Sports Management 26 +5 88% / 12% 4% $42,206 34 100%
Anthropology 40 +8 20% / 80% 2% $38,942 25 97%
English 41 +1 22% / 78% 2% $36,970 19 88%
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy 28 57% / 43% 0% $43,766 39 100%
History 40 45% / 55% 0% $51,943 61 94%
Intercultural and International Studies 12 +2 8% / 92% 25% $53,990 65
Philosophy 12 +1 50% / 50% 0% $36,533 18 100%
Political Science 20 +6 55% / 45% 0% $51,326 59 96%
Psychology 145 +12 22% / 78% 1% $42,217 34 93%
Public Administration 117 +11 68% / 32% 1% $63,686 80 89%
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication 10 70% / 30% 0% $26,288 5 95%
Social Work 25 8% / 92% 0% $47,975 51 94%
Sociology 9 +10 56% / 44% 0% $50,555 58 89%
Spanish 6 +1 33% / 67% 0% $40,700 29 100%
Speech Communication and Rhetoric 41 +1 44% / 56% 0% $50,197 57 98%
Elementary Education 46 9% / 91% 0% $46,904 48 94%
English Education 5 20% / 80% 20% $49,670 56 97%
General Education 11 +4 55% / 45% 9% $46,571 47
Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching 5 40% / 60% 0% $46,904 48 94%
Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching 46 2% / 98% 0% $46,904 48 94%
Mathematics Teacher Education 2 50% / 50% 0% $49,670 56 97%
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 6 33% / 67% 0% $49,670 56 97%
Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education 4 50% / 50% 25% $49,670 56 97%
Social Studies Teacher Education 11 36% / 64% 0% $49,670 56 97%
Special Education 7 14% / 86% 0% $45,250 43 100%
Art Education 7 14% / 86% 0% $49,670 56 97%
Fine Arts 9 11% / 89% 0% $36,347 18 90%
Fine/Studio Arts 26 15% / 85% 0% $36,347 18 90%
Interior Design 31 10% / 90% 0% $53,166 63 95%
Music 8 50% / 50% 0% $50,301 57 97%
Music Education 10 60% / 40% 0% $49,670 56 97%
Music Performance 26 62% / 38% 0% $50,301 57 97%
Theater 17 41% / 59% 0% $36,150 17 92%
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician 54 96% / 4% 0% $88,157 96 100%
Criminal Justice 119 +10 54% / 46% 1% $55,785 69 97%
Electrical Engineering Technology 14 86% / 14% 14% $80,486 93 100%
Engineering Technologies 43 88% / 12% 0% $68,899 85 100%

Financial

In-State Tuition & Fees $4,864
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees $9,181
Est. In-State Cost $6,292
Est. Out-of-State Cost $11,877
ROI Percentile 73th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 79%
4-Year Graduation Rate 44%
6-Year Graduation Rate 60%
Transfer-Out Rate 27%

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

% Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Business & Economics 23.1% 552 52% / 48% 4% $57,036 71 96%
Humanities & Social Sciences 22.8% 546 39% / 61% 1% $48,135 52 93%
Health Sciences 21.5% 515 23% / 77% 1% $67,200 83 96%
Professional 9.6% 230 72% / 28% 1% $67,341 84 99%
Education 6.0% 143 17% / 83% 2% $47,339 49 95%
Arts 5.6% 134 31% / 69% 0% $45,444 44 94%
Physical Sciences & Math 3.8% 92 32% / 68% 2% $57,658 72 100%
Life & Natural Sciences 2.6% 63 33% / 67% 2% $57,135 71 95%
Engineering 2.3% 55 78% / 22% 9% $90,809 97 95%
Computer Science 1.3% 31 94% / 6% 3% $96,310 98 96%
Agriculture & Food Science 1.3% 30 23% / 77% 0% $45,905 45 97%

Research R3

Research $ Rank Federal Industry $ PhDs Rank PhD students Postdocs
Physical Sciences & Math $0.7M #399 85% $0
Engineering $0.5M #319 49% $0.0M
Humanities & Social Sciences $0.4M #398 92% $0
Life & Natural Sciences $0.3M #445 74% $0.0M
Agriculture & Food Science $0.3M #211 61% $0.0M
Education $0.1M #378 56% $0.0M 16 #252
Health Sciences $0.0M #392 0% $0.0M
Business & Economics $0 #456 $0
Computer Science $0 #525 $0
Total $2.3M #478 72% $0.1M 16 #414

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Admissions

Uses Common App Yes
Acceptance Rate 79%
Yield (Unbound) 13%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 79% 79% 79%

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional
Submitted Test Scores 24%
SAT Range 1080 – 1270
SAT Math Range 520 – 610
SAT RW Range 560 – 660