Western Carolina University

What are the graduation rates for students at Western Carolina University?

In the reported 2024-25 institutional data, Western Carolina University's four-year graduation rate was 44%, and its six-year rate was 60%. These are measures of completion within specified periods, not predictions for an individual student.

The commonly reported undergraduate graduation rates follow a defined entering cohort of first-time, full-time degree-seeking students. They do not describe every transfer, part-time or returning adult student. WCU's reported first-year retention rate was 79%, measuring the share of an entering group that returned the following fall rather than the share that ultimately graduated.

The gap between four- and six-year completion matters when budgeting: taking additional semesters can change both direct costs and time away from full-time earnings. Students comparing majors should consider course sequences, placement requirements and transfer-credit applicability alongside the institution-wide rate.

What is the earning potential for graduates at Western Carolina University?

College Scorecard field-of-study figures provide a limited look at earnings about one year after program completion. They are not salaries promised to WCU students, and they do not represent every graduate in a field.

In the October 2026 Scorecard figures, the reported one-year earnings measure was $62,214 for engineering and $58,362 for registered nursing. The corresponding figure for computer science was $54,769. Other reported fields were lower, including teacher education for specific levels and methods at $34,526 and general psychology at $23,472. These figures should be read as field-specific outcomes for the graduates included in the federal measure, not as a comparison of otherwise identical students.

Scorecard earnings measures generally depend on federal records for students receiving federal aid and on whether sufficient observations can be reported. They can reflect differences in occupation, location, further study and time in the workforce. One year is particularly early for evaluating fields in which graduate education or professional licensure is common. WCU's career services offer counseling, résumé assistance, interview preparation, job listings and career events, but the availability of those services is distinct from a verified employment outcome.