Covering Innovation & Inequality in Education
This year at Western Carolina University, we project that on average students will pay $13,080, while the advertised price of attendance is $20,648. That’s a difference of $7,568.
| Year | Net in-state price at Western Carolina University | In-state sticker price at Western Carolina University | Out-of-state sticker price at Western Carolina University |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-26 | $13,080 | $20,648 | $23,674 |
| 24-25 | $12,975 | $20,483 | $23,994 |
| 23-24 | $12,872 | $20,319 | $24,319 |
| 22-23 | $12,252 | $19,341 | $23,341 |
| 21-22 | $13,022 | $19,018 | $23,018 |
| 20-21 | $13,082 | $18,874 | $22,874 |
| 19-20 | $13,221 | $18,740 | $22,740 |
| 18-19 | $12,965 | $17,705 | $21,705 |
| 17-18 | $15,021 | $21,452 | $31,845 |
| 16-17 | $14,456 | $20,920 | $31,313 |
| 15-16 | $13,646 | $20,014 | $30,407 |
| 14-15 | $12,680 | $18,977 | $29,370 |
| 13-14 | $12,916 | $18,599 | $28,196 |
How much a student actually pays usually depends, at least in part, on their family's household income. At Western Carolina University this year, we project students with incomes over $110K will pay around $19,172, while students with incomes below $30K will pay around $9,150. That's a difference of $10,022.
| Income bracket | Projected net price at Western Carolina University |
|---|---|
| <$30K | $9,150 |
| $30K-$48K | $10,972 |
| $48K-$75K | $13,970 |
| $75K-$110K | $16,163 |
| >$110K | $19,172 |
A school’s graduation rate can indicate how likely a student is to complete their degree. At Western Carolina University, over the last five years 61% of students earned their bachelor’s degree within six years of enrolling.
Students from different demographic backgrounds often graduate at different rates, so it can be helpful to look beyond the overall graduation rate. This chart shows how students of different races and ethnicities fare earning their degrees at Western Carolina University.
| Demographic category | Graduation rate at Western Carolina University | National average |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 43% | 31% |
| Asian | 62% | 45% |
| Black | 52% | 34% |
| Hispanic | 60% | 41% |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 63% | 28% |
| White | 63% | 50% |
| Multiple races | 55% | 37% |
| Unknown race | 46% | 37% |
Student retention, or how often students return to continue their degree after completing their first year, is another helpful indicator. Over the last five years, at Western Carolina University, about 77% of full-time students returned the following fall to continue their degree.
The size and demographic makeup of a school’s student body can have a large impact on a student’s experience. Western Carolina University has 13,205 students, which puts it in the {SIZE_PERCENTILE} percentile of public, 4-year schools.
About 59% of students are female.
And about 76% of students are white.