Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC · Public
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See the full analysis — freeAdmission rate
Western Carolina University admitted 81.8% of applicants university-wide (16,138 of 19,728).
| Cohort | Admit rate | Admitted | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-wide | 81.8% | 16,138 | 19,728 |
| In-state | 90.9% | 9,965 | 10,963 |
| Out-of-state | 80.8% | 5,966 | 7,383 |
| International applicants | 14.9% | 205 | 1,376 |
| Men | 78.6% | 6,149 | 7,826 |
| Women | 83.9% | 9,989 | 11,902 |
Of 16,138 admitted students, 2,044 enrolled (12.7% yield).
Western Carolina University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C1–C2 · 2023 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.
Test scores and GPA of admitted students
- SAT (mid-50%)
- 1075–1260
- ACT (mid-50%)
- 19–25
- GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
- 3.43–3.43
Testing policy: Recommended
Western Carolina University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C9–C12 · 2023 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.
Cost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $25,007/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $5,000 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $20,007 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $25,007/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $8,816 |
| $30k–48k | $10,012 |
| $48k–75k | $12,605 |
| $75k–110k | $17,060 |
| Over $110k | $17,992 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
- University Scholarship — $3,000 per year (Merit)
- Chancellor's Scholarship — Full cost of attendance (tuition, fees, room, board, and books) (Full Ride)
- Provost's Scholarship — Full tuition and fees (Full Tuition)
- Western Carolina University Grant — Varies (Need Based)
International applicants
No need-based aid reported for internationals.
- International Student Scholarship — Up to $5,000 per year (International Aid)
- International Transfer Student Scholarship — Up to $3,000 per year (International Aid)
- University Scholarship — $3,000 per year (Merit)
- Chancellor's Scholarship — Full cost of attendance (tuition, fees, room, board, and books) (Full Ride)
- Provost's Scholarship — Full tuition and fees (Full Tuition)
Western Carolina University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections G–H · 2023
Application requirements
US applicants
- Official High School Transcript
- Standardized Test Scores
- Application fee
International applicants
- Official High School Transcript
- Standardized Test Scores
- Application fee
- English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
Western Carolina University · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025
Essay prompts
Western Carolina University requires no supplemental essays.
Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 4, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $49,458
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 60.3%
- Within 150% of normal time
- First-year retention
- 79.1%
- Return for year two · CDS Section B
- Median debt
- $21,868
- At graduation
Western Carolina University · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.
Published rankings
- U.S. News National: #257
- WSJ: #440
- Niche: #491
Deadlines
- 2027-02-01Regular Decision — Standard deadline
Western Carolina University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C21–C22 · 2023
Academics and campus
Largest degree fields: Business & marketing (22%), Psychology (6%), Visual & performing arts (5%).
Student–faculty ratio: 16:1 · 34% of class sections have under 20 students.
Western Carolina University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections E, F, I · 2023 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.