10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$171,730at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC · 62 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 60 · Federal debt reported for 45
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$171,730 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
37.9 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−74%Estimated return after 10 years
$51,153Observed earnings · year 5
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $12,854 housing and food allowance plus $3,381 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$118,470
$8,000Annual price−$150,470
$13,000Current college-wide context−$170,470
$16,000Annual price−$182,470
$24,000Annual price−$214,470
$32,000Annual price−$246,470
$40,000Annual price−$278,470
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- Town
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in North Carolina run 6% below the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$13,315Average net price / year
$19,992Cost of attendance
$21,868Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$232/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$51,153Median earnings · year 5 after completion
60.3%Completion rate
81.8%Admission rate
1,157Average SAT score
22ACT midpoint
10,024Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about Western Carolina University
What does Western Carolina University cost?
Western Carolina University reports an average annual net price of $13,315 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do Western Carolina University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $51,153 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do Western Carolina University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $21,868. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at Western Carolina University worth the same?
No. The current release contains 62 field-and-degree records for Western Carolina University; 60 report year-4 earnings and 45 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
13,248Students enrolled at any point
11,369Undergraduate students
1,879Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
61% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
1,523 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
58% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$47,821Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$50,489Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$49,994Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income55%
Middle income60%
Higher income65%
Undergraduate student composition
White75%
Black7%
Hispanic9%
Asian1%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW
How earnings develop by field
Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.
Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Computer Programming.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$60,590Year 1
$88,374Year 5
$117,305Year 10
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 15
$82,426Year 1
$103,633Year 5
$110,705Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$68,131Year 1
$89,036Year 5
$103,159Year 10
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 13
$96,791Year 1
$91,987Year 5
$99,192Year 10
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 15
$63,836Year 1
$76,689Year 5
$94,461Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 51
$81,671Year 1
$86,054Year 5
$90,481Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 51
$59,875Year 1
$70,164Year 5
$78,011Year 10
Clinical Psychology.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 42
$41,424Year 1
$48,487Year 5
$76,015Year 10
Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$40,015Year 1
$54,667Year 4
$51,153Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$122,8112Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$100,8073Computer Science · Bachelor's Degree$86,8534Construction Engineering Technology/Technician · Bachelor's Degree$83,9545Engineering, General · Bachelor's Degree$82,5006Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Bachelor's Degree$79,5337Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's Degree$79,4418Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General · Bachelor's Degree$78,801Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessMaster's Degree · $77,046 reported+24%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2Design and Applied ArtsBachelor's Degree · $58,467 reported+14%vs same-degree national median$29,911federal debt3Public AdministrationBachelor's Degree · $70,331 reported+8%vs same-degree national median$18,375federal debt4Public HealthBachelor's Degree · $61,698 reported+5%vs same-degree national median$26,343federal debt5Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's Degree · $43,029 reported+4%vs same-degree national median$26,000federal debt6MusicBachelor's Degree · $44,014 reported+3%vs same-degree national median$27,000federal debt
Comparable colleges in NC
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Greensboro, NC
North Carolina A&T State University
- Annual net price
- $10,846
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $49,710
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -79%
Appalachian State University
- Annual net price
- $16,836
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $51,728
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -73%
Winston-Salem State University
- Annual net price
- $13,479
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $55,548
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -55%
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
- Annual net price
- $10,965
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $48,436
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -85%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 62 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $122,811 | Not available | 0 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $100,807 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $86,853 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | Bachelor's Degree | $83,954 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Engineering, General | Bachelor's Degree | $82,500 | $25,550 | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $79,533 | $23,163 | 0 |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $79,441 | $23,154 | Not reported |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General | Bachelor's Degree | $78,801 | $25,250 | Not reported |
| Human Resources Management and Services | Master's Degree | $77,673 | Not available | Not reported |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Doctoral Degree | $77,060 | Not available | 47 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Master's Degree | $77,046 | Not available | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $75,418 | Not available | Not reported |
| Public Administration | Master's Degree | $72,948 | Not available | Not reported |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities | Master's Degree | $71,161 | Not available | Not reported |
| Public Administration | Bachelor's Degree | $70,331 | $18,375 | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $68,241 | Not available | 4 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $65,010 | $23,835 | Not reported |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Master's Degree | $63,641 | Not available | Not reported |
| Management Information Systems and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $62,128 | $23,000 | Not reported |
| Public Health | Bachelor's Degree | $61,698 | $26,343 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $61,346 | $20,000 | Not reported |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $59,885 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Marketing | Master's Degree | $58,995 | Not available | Not reported |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $58,911 | Not available | Not reported |
| Design and Applied Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $58,467 | $29,911 | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $58,076 | $23,625 | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $57,713 | $23,495 | 75 |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $56,568 | $23,508 | Not reported |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Master's Degree | $56,344 | Not available | Not reported |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Bachelor's Degree | $55,903 | $21,461 | Not reported |
| Education, General | Master's Degree | $54,249 | Not available | Not reported |
| Security Science and Technology | Bachelor's Degree | $54,246 | $21,500 | Not reported |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | Bachelor's Degree | $53,622 | $24,905 | Not reported |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $52,183 | $21,287 | Not reported |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $52,077 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | Master's Degree | $51,558 | Not available | Not reported |
| Chemistry | Bachelor's Degree | $51,213 | $20,824 | Not reported |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $50,761 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $50,180 | $26,037 | Not reported |
| Social Work | Bachelor's Degree | $50,025 | $25,857 | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every Western Carolina University program record →Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.