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Western Carolina University Teaching Programs

Western Carolina University is a public institution located in Cullowhee, NC. A Distant Town provides an ideal setting near the excitement of urban amenities.

Western Carolina University Rankings

Western has earned the following rankings for teaching programs at the bachelors level:

Ranking	Rank	Among
Overall Quality	#12 of 129	State — North Carolina
Overall Quality	#81 of 1,106	Region — Southeast
Overall Quality	#616 of 4,630	Nationwide

Where Is Western Carolina University?

Contact details for Western are given below.

	Contact Details
Address:	Highway 107, Cullowhee, NC 28723-9646
Phone:	8282277100
Website:	www.wcu.edu/
Admissions:	www.wcu.edu/apply/index.aspx
Financial Aid:	www.wcu.edu/apply/financial-aid/index.aspx

How Do I Get Into Western?

You can apply to Western online at: www.wcu.edu/apply/undergraduate-admissions/apply.aspx

Western is classified as Less Selective (70-85%) for admissions.

Admission Requirements for Western

These are the things Western considers when reviewing applications:

Requirement	Status
Secondary School Record	Required
Secondary School GPA	Required
Recommendations	Considered but not required
Admission Test Scores (SAT/ACT)	Considered but not required

How Hard Is It To Get Into Western?

Western admits 82%, making it highly accessible. Ensure you meet all application requirements and prepare the application in full.

Of those admitted, 13% choose to enroll — a modest enrollment yield, suggesting many admitted students choose other institutions.

Average Test Scores

5% of admitted students submitted SAT scores and 19% submitted ACT scores.

When looking at the 25th through the 75th percentile of admitted students at Western, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing scores ranged between 560 and 660. Math scores were between 520 and 610.

Combined SAT scores ranged from 1080 to 1270. ACT Composite scores for admitted students at Western ranged between 19 and 25.

Selectivity by Gender

Selectivity numbers at Western can differ by gender.

Gender	Applicants	Admitted	Acceptance Rate
Men	7,815	6,146	79%
Women	11,892	9,990	84%

Can I Afford Western Carolina University?

The average net price after aid at Western is $12,579. The affordability of the school largely depends on your financial need since net price varies by income group.

Tuition & Fees

Category	Cost
In-State Tuition	$1,000
In-State Fees	$3,630
Out-of-State Tuition	$5,000
Out-of-State Fees	$3,630
Total In-State Tuition & Fees	$4,630
Total Out-of-State Tuition & Fees	$8,630

Financial Aid

When including loans, work-study, and grants, 21% of students at Western receive some form of financial aid (2,082 students).

Approximately 65% of students at Western receive grant or scholarship aid, averaging $6,267 per student.

35% of students receive federal Pell Grants, averaging $5,359.

Student Loan Debt

44% of Western undergraduates take out federal student loans, averaging $5,618 per year.

Western Carolina University Undergraduate Student Diversity

There are 2,024 students enrolled at Western. Western is classified as a 10,000 - 19,999 institution by enrollment size. Its Carnegie Classification is Doctoral/Professional Universities.

Gender Diversity

Of the 9,867 undergraduate students at Western, approximately 42% are male and 58% are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

The racial-ethnic breakdown of Western Carolina University undergraduate students is as follows.

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Students
Asian	128
Black or African American	651
Hispanic	868
White	7,400
American Indian/Alaska Native	88
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	9
Two or More Races	444
Non-Resident	197

Geographic Diversity

The top 5 home states of first-time undergraduate students at Western are shown below.

State	First-Time UG Students
North Carolina	1,548
South Carolina	167
Georgia	100
Florida	51
Virginia	20

Additionally, approximately 2.0% of undergraduate students are non-resident from outside the United States.

Western Carolina University Graduate Student Diversity

1,619 of Western’s students are in graduate programs. The highest graduate-level award offered is Doctor’s degree.

Gender Diversity (Graduate)

Among graduate students at Western, approximately 31% are male and 69% are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity (Graduate)

The racial-ethnic breakdown of Western Carolina University graduate students is as follows.

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Students
Asian	21
Black or African American	131
Hispanic	101
White	1,243
American Indian/Alaska Native	11
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	1
Two or More Races	61
Non-Resident	38

Online Learning at Western Carolina University

Western offers online programs for students who need flexibility.

2,675 undergraduate students at Western took at least one online class — of those, 2,207 took all of their classes online.

At the graduate level, 372 students took at least one online class and 629 took all classes online. Distance education is available at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Teaching Programs at Western Carolina University

The following teaching majors are available at Western, with per-level degree counts in the most recent reporting year.

Program	Bachelor’s	Master’s	Doctorate	Total
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods	127	28	—	155
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	55	—	—	55
Educational Administration and Supervision	—	35	16	51
Student Counseling and Personnel Services	—	43	—	43
Education, General	—	40	—	40
Special Education and Teaching	13	—	—	13

Academic Programs at Western Carolina University

Western offers 25 distinct academic programs.

The highest level of award offered is Doctor’s degree.

Institutional Profile

Western maintains an open admission policy: No. Credit transfer:

• AP credits: Yes
• Dual enrollment credits: Yes
• Life experience credits: Implied no

References

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)

More about our data sources and methodologies.