by our College Data Analytics TeamThis overview lays out the cost of attending Western Carolina University, covering the cost range, projected degree costs, net price, debt at graduation, default rates, and aid distribution patterns.
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Cost of attendance at Western Carolina University ranged from $19,057.00 ranging to $23,057.00 depending on residency and living arrangement.
The lower figure reflects the in-state rate and the higher figure the out-of-state rate: roughly $19,057.00 for in-state students versus $23,057.00 out of state.
Cost is shown below as the full sticker price, the average net price after aid, and the low-income net price.
| Tuition and fees | $4,630.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $14,427.00 |
| Total cost | $19,057.00 |
| That is roughly at the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $19,057.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$6,677.00 |
| Net price | $12,380.00 |
| That is 36% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $19,057.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$11,176.00 |
| Net price | $7,881.00 |
| That is 59% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $8,630.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $14,427.00 |
| Total cost | $23,057.00 |
| That is 20% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $23,057.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$6,677.00 |
| Net price | $16,380.00 |
| That is 15% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $23,057.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$11,176.00 |
| Net price | $11,881.00 |
| That is 38% below the national average net price. | |
| Go deeper on the components with the tuition & fees page plus living costs. |
The reported cost series has been increasing at a recent average of 1.0% annually, so the projections below total more than one year of attendance. The detailed projections below compare a degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and a no-aid student. Loan figures amortise the projected total over ten years at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Freshman year | $7,963.00 | $12,508.00 | $19,255.00 |
| Senior year | $8,213.00 | $12,902.00 | $19,860.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $32,350.00 | $50,817.00 | $78,225.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $12,324.00 | $19,360.00 | $29,801.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $372.00 | $585.00 | $900.00 |
| Total amount paid | $44,674.00 | $70,177.00 | $108,026.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Freshman year | $7,963.00 | $12,508.00 | $19,255.00 |
| Senior year | $8,045.00 | $12,638.00 | $19,454.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $16,008.00 | $25,146.00 | $38,709.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $6,098.00 | $9,580.00 | $14,747.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $184.00 | $289.00 | $445.00 |
| Total amount paid | $22,107.00 | $34,726.00 | $53,456.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Freshman year | $12,004.00 | $16,550.00 | $23,296.00 |
| Senior year | $12,382.00 | $17,070.00 | $24,028.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $48,769.00 | $67,236.00 | $94,644.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $18,579.00 | $25,615.00 | $36,056.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $561.00 | $774.00 | $1,089.00 |
| Total amount paid | $67,348.00 | $92,851.00 | $130,700.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Freshman year | $12,004.00 | $16,550.00 | $23,296.00 |
| Senior year | $12,129.00 | $16,721.00 | $23,538.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $24,133.00 | $33,271.00 | $46,834.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $9,194.00 | $12,675.00 | $17,842.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $278.00 | $383.00 | $539.00 |
| Total amount paid | $33,327.00 | $45,947.00 | $64,676.00 |
See the full net-price breakdown in the net-price section.
Net price strips out grant and scholarship aid to show what families really pay. For most families it is a more realistic figure than the published cost.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $13,315.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $12,579.00 |
The real cost varies by income because need-based aid scales with financial need. Here is the average net price for each family-income range:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $8,571.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $10,277.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $13,085.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $15,140.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $17,958.00 |
Use Western Carolina University Net Price Calculator, or visit the financial aid office.
Want to know how that aid is awarded? See the financial aid page.
The median graduating debt at Western Carolina University comes to $15,348.00, categorized as a Low ($10-20k) burden category.
Here’s how debt at graduation distributes across borrowers:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $3,500.00 |
| 25th | $6,998.00 |
| Median (50th) | $15,348.00 |
| 75th | $25,983.00 |
| 90th | $31,249.00 |
The distance from the 10th to the 90th percentile shows how widely debt outcomes vary.
Explore borrowing, repayment, and default in detail on the student-loan-debt breakdown.
Debt outcomes vary substantially with family income. Below, debt is broken out by low, middle, and high family income:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $14,731.00 |
| Middle income | $16,180.00 |
| High income | $15,250.00 |
Debt at graduation often differs for first-generation students.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $15,864.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $14,966.00 |
First-generation borrowers from Western Carolina University graduate with $898.00 in extra median debt compared with continuing-generation peers.
Pell Grant eligibility is a useful proxy for low-income status among undergraduates. Comparing Pell recipients vs non-recipients shows how debt is distributed by need.
The gap between Pell-eligible and non-Pell median debt at Western Carolina University comes to $2,250.00. This institution is flagged by federal data for Pell-debt inequity.
The default-rate category at Western Carolina University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 6.9% |
For scale, federal Stafford loan disbursements at Western Carolina University add up to $614,179,275.00 distributed across 32,740 recipients.
Veterans and active-duty service members may qualify for substantial federal education benefits including the GI Bill and Tuition Assistance from the Department of Defense.
| GI Bill recipients | 133 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $4,005.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 44 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $1,838.00 |
Explore GI Bill and military aid in detail on the veterans benefits detail.
The data above is a foundation; round it out by asking yourself about Western Carolina University, the questions below are worth your time:
Dig further into the cost picture with the related pages below:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.