- AcademicsB+
- ValueB+
- DiversityB
- CampusA-
- AthleticsB+
- Party SceneB
- ProfessorsA-
- LocationB-
- DormsB+
- Campus FoodB+
- Student LifeB
- SafetyB
Western Carolina University is ...
Public
Athletic Division
NCAA Division I-FCS
Athletic Conference
Southern Conference
Address
1 University Way
Cullowhee, NC 28723
Website
Western Carolina University Rankings
Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.
Admissions
Acceptance Rate
41%
SAT Range
910-1120
ACT Range
20-25
Application Fee
$65
SAT/ACT
Required
High School GPA
Required
Early Decision/Early Action
Yes
Application Website
Will You Get In?
Test Scores and GPA for Western Carolina UniversitySee Other Colleges
Cost
Net Price
$13,646/ year
National
$15,523Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Student Loan Options from Lenders
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Academics
Professors
A-
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
17:1
Evening Degree Programs
No
- 80%
- of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.84 responses
- 63%
- of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.90 responses
- 67%
- of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.90 responses
Majors
Most Popular Majors
Nursing
219 GraduatesCriminal Justice and Safety Studies
155 GraduatesPsychology
135 GraduatesBusiness Administration and Management
127 GraduatesMarketing
117 GraduatesBiology
88 GraduatesMiddle School Education
63 GraduatesElementary Education
56 GraduatesCommunications
55 GraduatesSocial Work and Youth Services
53 Graduates
Students
Full-Time Enrollment
7,871Undergrads
Undergrads Over 25
8%
Pell Grant
39%
Varsity Athletes
5%
Campus Life
Freshmen Live On-Campus
—
Poll
- 72%
- of students say that Greek life is average, and no one will treat you differently if you don't join.105 responses
Poll
- 58%
- of students say varsity sports are a big part of campus life.124 responses
After College
Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$36,200/ year
National
$33,028Graduation Rate
57%
National
49%Employed 2 Years After Graduation
93%
National
83%- 85%
- of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.60 responses
Western Carolina University Reviews
1,307 reviews
All Categories
Western Carolina University is an amazing school! The people at Western and around the community are great. There is always fun events going on around campus. The food has always been good to me. Plenty of housing options on and off campus. The campus rec center (gym) is super nice! I spent many hours in there. My favorite part about Western is the fact that it's in the mountains! I love outdoor activities, such as hiking, kayaking, fishing, and more. I have made some long life friends here, and a lot of wonderful memories! The reason I gave Western a 4-star rating is because I wish they had an exercise/kinesiology undergrad program I could've taken. Other than that, my overall experience at Western was great! I'm so excited to be able to attend graduate school at Western this coming fall!
The breath-snatching views of North Carolina's finest mountains are the first thing you wake up to in the morning, starting off every day with a view of what the real world looks like. Brown cafeteria is the hotspot destination due to its fresh food, beautiful architecture, and brand new everything. Afternoons and evenings can be spent enjoying membership in the many clubs and organizations on campus that truly make WCU thrive. Academically, WCU exists as only one of two colleges to offer a minor in leadership -a highly recommended 18-credit program for all. The School of Stage & Screen is one of the nation's top programs for anything theatre, and members of the school will stress this (however, the school's undertakings speak for itself). The Honors College just celebrated its 20th anniversary, and continues to stand out among higher ed institutions for its dedication to research and involvement. WCU is perhaps the most welcoming mountain college in the world!
Western Carolina University is the perfect school if you want to be surrounded by the outdoors. This university provides many outdoor programs that keeps students busy. They decreased their tuition to five-hundred a semester to help students, like I, afford a four-year university. WCU has also been recognized as the number one outdoor school in North Carolina. They offer activities like whitewater rafting, hiking, rock climbing, and fly fishing. Western is not only outdoor oriented but ethnically diverse as well since they have a large portion of EBCI tribal members, like myself, that attend the university. This school is perfect for any student that wants to be surrounded by the beautiful Appalachian mountains and ethnic diversity.