Western Carolina acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Western Carolina University · Public · Cullowhee, NC · 10,009 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Western Carolina admitted 86.7% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 37.7% in 2013. North Carolina residents pay $4,685 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $8,685.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
Show as table
| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 37.7% | 15,231 | 5,736 |
| 2014 | 43.1% | 15,398 | 6,638 |
| 2015 | 40.3% | 17,699 | 7,127 |
| 2016 | 40.7% | 18,297 | 7,445 |
| 2017 | 38.8% | 19,391 | 7,532 |
| 2018 | 39.7% | 19,344 | 7,672 |
| 2019 | 68.7% | 11,128 | 7,646 |
| 2020 | 48.5% | 15,036 | 7,290 |
| 2021 | 79.4% | 12,308 | 9,775 |
| 2022 | 84.8% | 17,917 | 15,201 |
| 2023 | 86.7% | 18,183 | 15,758 |
Applications went from 15,231 in fall 2013 to 18,183 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
Show as table
| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $10,446 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $8,629 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $10,322 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $15,350 |
| Over $110,000 | $18,389 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $4,685 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $8,685 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $21,165 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $13,025 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 9% submitted the SAT, 23% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| App State NC | 88.6% | $7,642 in-state |
| ECU NC | 90.1% | $7,438 in-state |
| UNC Charlotte NC | 80.2% | $7,317 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Western Carolina offered places to 15,758 of its 18,183 fall 2023 applicants, which gives an admit rate of 86.7%.1 The same measure was 37.7% in fall 2013, a rise of 49.0 percentage points.1 Most of the climb came after 2019, when the rate was 68.7%, then 48.5% in 2020 and 79.4% in 2021, and the rate declined in only 3 of the 10 yearly changes.1 Applications grew 19% over the span, from 15,231 to 18,183, while the admitted count went from 5,736 to 15,758.1
Test scores are optional, and 9% of enrolled students sent the SAT while 23% sent the ACT.1 The SAT middle range ran 540 to 650 for reading and writing and 510 to 610 for math, and the ACT composite ran 20 to 26.1
In-state tuition and fees for 2025-26 are $4,685 and out-of-state charges are $8,685, with the resident figure under the $7,292 median across 16 public bachelor's colleges in North Carolina.2 Net price is $10,446 for families earning $0 to $30,000, $10,322 for $48,001 to $75,000, and $18,389 for incomes over $110,000.2
Among 2019 entrants, 61% graduated within 6 years, while 79% of fall 2023 entrants were retained.2 Statewide, the median graduation rate is 47% across 56 colleges.2 Median earnings are $53,764 10 years after entry, close to the $52,558 state median, and median federal debt is $19,500.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 18,183 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 15,758 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 2,103 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 10,009 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 540 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 650 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 510 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 610 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 20 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 26 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 9% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 23% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $4,685 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $8,685 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $21,165 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $13,025 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $10,446 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $8,629 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $10,322 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $15,350 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $18,389 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 61% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 79% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 39% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $53,764 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $19,500 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, North Carolina (N = 16) | $7,292 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, North Carolina (N = 56) | 47% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry, North Carolina (N = 55) | $52,558 | College Scorecard, median MD_EARN_WNE_P10, bachelor's institutions, 2022-232 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Western Carolina, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page