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Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC 9,867 Undergrads 65.8% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$19,057
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$12,579
After Aid
Median Earnings
$49,458
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$12,579
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$49,458
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate65.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.7%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time82.7%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.6%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
86.7%
SAT Avg
1,151
SAT Reading
25th: 54058075th: 650
SAT Math
25th: 51056575th: 610
ACT Composite
25th: 202275th: 26
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$433k
+$36k
-$51k
Median Cost$13k/yr
+$388k
-$9k
-$97k
Full Cost$19k/yr
+$364k
-$32k
-$120k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$13k/yr
Never
-214%
Full Cost$19k/yr
Never
-175%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return-203%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-92%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$19,428
Earnings (5yr)
$61,038
Lifetime Value Added
+$5k
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
BachCIP: 5109
Median Debt
$25,090
Earnings (5yr)
$57,020
Lifetime Value Added
-$27k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
$20,732
Earnings (5yr)
$37,633
Lifetime Value Added
-$188k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$25,193
Earnings (5yr)
$55,306
Lifetime Value Added
-$41k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,836
Earnings (5yr)
$50,856
Lifetime Value Added
-$77k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
$19,618
Earnings (5yr)
$58,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$13k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$18,697
Earnings (5yr)
$48,606
Lifetime Value Added
-$96k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
BachCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$20,870
Earnings (5yr)
$45,599
Lifetime Value Added
-$121k
Computer Science
BachCIP: 1107
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$93,802
Lifetime Value Added
+$252k
Construction Engineering Technologies
BachCIP: 1510
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$85,272
Lifetime Value Added
+$188k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$21,430
Earnings (5yr)
$53,478
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Design and Applied Arts
BachCIP: 5004
Median Debt
$29,911
Earnings (5yr)
$51,717
Lifetime Value Added
-$70k
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services
BachCIP: 5131
Median Debt
$23,952
Earnings (5yr)
$43,962
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
$24,722
Earnings (5yr)
$35,165
Lifetime Value Added
-$209k
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1503
Median Debt
$22,457
Earnings (2yr)
$42,682
Lifetime Value Added
-$123k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (2yr)
$62,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Engineering Technology, General
BachCIP: 1500
Median Debt
$25,250
Earnings (5yr)
$66,644
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$35,809
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$22,060
Earnings (5yr)
$64,679
Lifetime Value Added
+$33k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$25,159
Earnings (5yr)
$35,357
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$24,302
Earnings (5yr)
$40,898
Lifetime Value Added
-$160k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$23,814
Earnings (5yr)
$50,346
Lifetime Value Added
-$81k
Hospitality Administration/Management
BachCIP: 5209
Median Debt
$25,657
Earnings (5yr)
$46,877
Lifetime Value Added
-$110k
International/Global Studies
BachCIP: 3020
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Lifetime Value Added
-$240k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$22,300
Earnings (5yr)
$77,089
Lifetime Value Added
+$127k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$22,922
Earnings (5yr)
$57,435
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$43,145
Lifetime Value Added
-$141k
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$48,930
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
BachCIP: 0301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$44,645
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Natural Resources Management and Policy
BachCIP: 0302
Median Debt
$18,500
Earnings (5yr)
$42,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
BachCIP: 3103
Median Debt
$21,415
Earnings (5yr)
$41,615
Lifetime Value Added
-$154k
Philosophy
BachCIP: 3801
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,643
Lifetime Value Added
-$205k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$49,601
Lifetime Value Added
-$88k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$21,813
Earnings (5yr)
$40,666
Lifetime Value Added
-$162k
Public Administration
BachCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$17,234
Earnings (5yr)
$61,307
Lifetime Value Added
+$7k
Public Health
BachCIP: 5122
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$59,893
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
BachCIP: 0907
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$25,455
Lifetime Value Added
-$292k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
BachCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$72,955
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
BachCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$23,187
Earnings (5yr)
$44,961
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Security Science and Technology
BachCIP: 4304
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (2yr)
$40,017
Lifetime Value Added
-$147k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$24,818
Earnings (5yr)
$46,183
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$48,855
Lifetime Value Added
-$94k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$20,485
Earnings (5yr)
$43,364
Lifetime Value Added
-$139k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$23,900
Earnings (5yr)
$44,949
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$24,927
Earnings (5yr)
$47,600
Lifetime Value Added
-$104k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$22,410
Earnings (5yr)
$70,581
Lifetime Value Added
+$163k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$28,117
Earnings (5yr)
$81,402
Lifetime Value Added
+$257k
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
MastCIP: 5102
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,776
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Construction Engineering Technologies
MastCIP: 1510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$76,460
Lifetime Value Added
+$254k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
$22,137
Earnings (5yr)
$54,820
Lifetime Value Added
+$22k
Educational Administration and Supervision
MastCIP: 1304
Median Debt
$16,418
Earnings (5yr)
$68,759
Lifetime Value Added
+$148k
Health and Medical Administrative Services
MastCIP: 5107
Median Debt
$14,240
Earnings (5yr)
$57,280
Lifetime Value Added
+$45k
Human Resources Management and Services
MastCIP: 5210
Median Debt
$22,818
Earnings (5yr)
$73,132
Lifetime Value Added
+$185k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
MastCIP: 1506
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$57,318
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Psychology, General
MastCIP: 4201
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$27,476
Lifetime Value Added
-$226k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (5yr)
$61,074
Lifetime Value Added
+$80k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
MastCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$36,847
Earnings (5yr)
$120,469
Lifetime Value Added
+$591k
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$25,807
Earnings (5yr)
$56,936
Lifetime Value Added
+$42k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (5yr)
$54,018
Lifetime Value Added
+$15k
Doctoral Degrees
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$78,343
Lifetime Value Added
+$128k
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
DocCIP: 5123
Median Debt
$69,085
Earnings (5yr)
$77,275
Lifetime Value Added
+$85k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.