Cullowhee, NC
Western Carolina University
https://www.wcu.eduRepayment outcome
83.5%
of borrowers were paying down their loan principal five years after entering repayment. Higher means more graduates can afford what they borrowed.
Money
$23,900–$48,900
middle 50% · median $35,100
Federal aid recipients · 10 yrs after entry · US Dept of Ed
College Scorecard reports earnings 10 years after a student first enrolled, not after graduation. The sample includes only federal aid recipients and counts non-completers alongside graduates, which can pull the number down at selective schools where many students never borrow. Treat it as a conservative floor, not a forecast.
Net price
after grants & scholarships
$12,380
Median debt
of borrowers at graduation
$15,000
Sticker price
before any aid
$17,805
Default rate
8.1%
Earnings by major
Median 1–2 yrs after completion · Scorecard field-of-study data
A different measurement than the 10-year headline above. These are early-career numbers for students who finished the degree, 1–2 years out — they tend to read higher because they exclude non-completers and are measured right out of school.
- Engineering$62,214
- Engineering Tech$54,996
- Computer Science$53,775
- Public Admin$52,107
- Education$41,087
- Criminal Justice$35,615
- Visual & Performing Arts$34,847
- Math & Statistics$34,704
- Business$34,126
- Physical Sciences$33,853
- Parks & Fitness$30,554
- Communication and Media Studies.$29,250
- Psychology$26,684
- English & Literature$26,519
- Biology$25,194
- History$24,437
- Social Sciences$24,267
- Health Professions$22,710
- Interdisciplinary$21,964
Academics
Acceptance
37.7%
Avg SAT
1,034
Enrollment
8,238
What students study
17 fields offered
Education
17% of degrees awarded — the most popular field
- 02Health Professions15.3%
- 03Business11.7%
- 04Criminal Justice8.1%
- 05Visual & Performing Arts6.4%
- 06Engineering Tech5.3%
- 07Psychology5.2%
- 08Public Admin5.1%
- 09Social Sciences4.2%
- 10Communications3.6%
- 11English & Literature3.2%
- 12Parks & Fitness2.4%
- 13History2.4%
- 14Biology2.3%
- 15Physical Sciences2.0%
- 16Math & Statistics1.1%
- 17Natural Resources1.1%