by our College Data Analytics TeamWe've gathered data and other essential information about the program, such as the average salary of graduates, ethnicity of students, how many students graduated in recent times, and more. In addition, we cover how WCU ranks in comparison to other schools with nursing programs.
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The bachelor's program at WCU was ranked #709 on College Factual's Best Schools for nursing list. It is also ranked #17 in North Carolina.
| Ranking Type | Rank |
|---|---|
| Best Nursing Doctor’s Degree Schools | 221 |
| Best Nursing Master’s Degree Schools | 329 |
| Best Nursing Graduate Degree Schools | 380 |
| Best Nursing Bachelor’s Degree Schools | 479 |
| Best Nursing Schools | 709 |
During the 2021-2022 academic year, Western Carolina University handed out 250 bachelor's degrees in nursing. This is an increase of 50% over the previous year when 167 degrees were handed out.
In 2022, 45 students received their master’s degree in nursing from WCU. This makes it the #212 most popular school for nursing master’s degree candidates in the country.
In addition, 17 students received their doctoral degrees in nursing in 2022, making the school the #169 most popular school in the United States for this category of students.
The median salary of nursing students who receive their bachelor's degree at WCU is $68,774. Unfortunately, this is lower than the national average of $74,888 for all nursing students.
While getting their bachelor's degree at WCU, nursing students borrow a median amount of $25,860 in student loans. This is higher than the the typical median of $20,508 for all nursing majors across the country.
The typical student loan payment of a bachelor's degree student from the nursing program at WCU is $235 per month.
In 2022-2023, the average part-time undergraduate tuition at WCU was $340 per credit hour for out-of-state students. The average for in-state students was $184 per credit hour. Information about average full-time undergraduate tuition and fees is shown in the table below.
| In State | Out of State | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $1,000 | $5,000 |
| Fees | $3,532 | $3,532 |
| Books and Supplies | $693 | $693 |
| On Campus Room and Board | $11,764 | $11,764 |
| On Campus Other Expenses | $3,330 | $3,330 |
Learn more about WCU tuition and fees.
Of the 250 students who earned a bachelor's degree in Nursing from WCU in 2021-2022, 13% were men and 87% were women.
The majority of the students with this major are white. About 84% of 2022 graduates were in this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Western Carolina University with a bachelor's in nursing.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 4 |
| Black or African American | 12 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10 |
| White | 210 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 1 |
| Other Races | 13 |
WCU does not offer an online option for its nursing bachelor’s degree program at this time. To see if the school offers distance learning options in other areas, visit the WCU Online Learning page.
Nursing majors graduating with a master's degree from WCU make a median salary of $106,628 a year. This is a better than average outcome since the median salary for all nursing graduates with a master's is $106,154.
The nursing program at WCU awarded 39 master's degrees in 2021-2022. About 5% of these degrees went to men with the other 95% going to women.
The majority of the students with this major are white. About 87% of 2022 graduates were in this category.
The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Western Carolina University with a master's in nursing.
| Ethnic Background | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 0 |
| Black or African American | 0 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4 |
| White | 34 |
| Non-Resident Aliens | 0 |
| Other Races | 1 |
Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the nursing majors at Western Carolina University.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Health Sciences & Services | 127 |
| Allied Health Professions | 107 |
| Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions | 71 |
| Communication Sciences | 59 |
| Health & Medical Administrative Services | 40 |