Top 2020 Rankings For Western Carolina University
A more complete picture of where Western Carolina University is the "best of the best" can be found on our 2020 Badges Awarded page.
All 2020 Rankings For Western Carolina University
Learn more about our methodologies that drive these rankings.
Top Quality Overall
better worse | |
| Nationwide | 802 of 1727 |
| Southeast | 135 of 436 |
| North Carolina | 20 of 55 |
Best Colleges For The Money (all undergraduates)
better worse | |
| Nationwide | 232 of 1483 |
| Southeast | 54 of 374 |
| North Carolina | 9 of 51 |
Best Colleges For The Money (undergraduates getting aid)
better worse | |
| Nationwide | 264 of 1483 |
| Southeast | 57 of 374 |
| North Carolina | 11 of 51 |
Best Colleges For The Money (undergraduates getting no aid)
better worse | |
| Nationwide | 124 of 1483 |
| Southeast | 23 of 374 |
| North Carolina | 10 of 51 |
Diversity
better worse | |
| Overall | |
| Ethnic | |
| Male / Female | 548 of 2417 |
| Location |
Biological & Biomedical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 272 of 808 |
| Most Popular | 345 of 1422 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
General Biology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 211 of 803 |
| Most Popular | 251 of 1379 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Business, Management & Marketing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 140 of 810 |
| Most Popular | 281 of 1931 |
| Most Focused | 957 of 1931 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Accounting
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 186 of 601 |
| Most Popular | 413 of 1282 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Business Administration & Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 355 of 744 |
| Best Value | 72 of 711 |
| Most Popular | 347 of 1667 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Entrepreneurial Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 27 of 56 |
| Most Popular | 50 of 232 |
| Most Focused | 104 of 232 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Finance & Financial Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 108 of 378 |
| Most Popular | 249 of 662 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Hospitality Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 31 of 111 |
| Most Popular | 81 of 253 |
| Most Focused | 99 of 253 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Management Information Systems
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 56 of 140 |
| Most Popular | 96 of 345 |
| Most Focused | 141 of 345 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Marketing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 74 of 402 |
| Most Popular | 104 of 763 |
| Most Focused | 113 of 763 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Communication & Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 218 of 587 |
| Most Popular | 362 of 1210 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Communication & Media Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 286 of 1022 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Radio, Television & Digital Communication
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 40 of 97 |
| Most Popular | 120 of 247 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Computer & Information Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Computer Science
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 279 of 605 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 134 of 404 |
| Most Popular | 95 of 1363 |
| Most Focused | 309 of 1363 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Special Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 194 of 450 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Teacher Education Grade Specific
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 67 of 1161 |
| Most Focused | 254 of 1161 |
Teacher Education Subject Specific
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 127 of 340 |
| Most Popular | 116 of 861 |
| Most Focused | 318 of 861 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Electrical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 118 of 264 |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
General Engineering
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 73 of 150 |
| Most Focused |
Engineering Technologies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 66 of 442 |
| Most Focused | 146 of 442 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Construction Engineering Technology
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 24 of 66 |
| Most Focused | 20 of 66 |
Electronics Engineering Technology
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 54 of 151 |
| Most Focused |
General Engineering Technology
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 10 of 73 |
| Most Focused | 24 of 73 |
English Language & Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 217 of 585 |
| Most Popular | 328 of 1351 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
General English Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 182 of 603 |
| Most Popular | 266 of 1267 |
| Most Focused | 620 of 1267 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Foreign Languages & Linguistics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 161 of 334 |
| Most Popular | 267 of 941 |
| Most Focused | 429 of 941 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Germanic Languages
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Romance Languages
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 156 of 345 |
| Most Popular | 157 of 809 |
| Most Focused | 303 of 809 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Health Professions
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 206 of 591 |
| Best Value | 34 of 564 |
| Most Popular | 185 of 1665 |
| Most Focused | 745 of 1665 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Allied Health Professions
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 59 of 658 |
| Most Focused | 248 of 658 |
Communication Sciences
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Dietetics & Clinical Nutrition Services
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 58 of 130 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Nursing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 132 of 500 |
| Most Popular | 172 of 1126 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Public Health
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 26 of 95 |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 56 of 195 |
| Most Focused | 97 of 195 |
History
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 175 of 533 |
| Most Popular | 243 of 1247 |
| Most Focused | 571 of 1247 |
History
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 188 of 565 |
| Most Popular | 243 of 1247 |
| Most Focused | 571 of 1247 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 82 of 384 |
| Most Popular | 106 of 1087 |
| Most Focused | 416 of 1087 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Criminal Justice & Corrections
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 68 of 387 |
| Most Popular | 98 of 1059 |
| Most Focused | 403 of 1060 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Liberal Arts General Studies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused |
Mathematics & Statistics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 455 of 1223 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Mathematics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 410 of 1171 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 491 of 1030 |
| Most Focused |
International Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 90 of 266 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Natural Resources & Conservation
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 148 of 750 |
| Most Focused | 327 of 750 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Natural Resource Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | |
| Most Popular | 25 of 73 |
| Most Focused | 25 of 73 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Natural Resources Conservation
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 332 of 695 |
| Most Focused |
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 112 of 458 |
| Most Popular | 207 of 891 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Health & Physical Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 184 of 448 |
| Most Popular | 275 of 829 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Recreation Administration
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 37 of 94 |
| Most Focused |
Philosophy & Religious Studies
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 399 of 939 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Philosophy
better worse | |
| Most Popular | 287 of 731 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Physical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 124 of 470 |
| Most Popular | 153 of 1156 |
| Most Focused | 293 of 1156 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Chemistry
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 72 of 426 |
| Most Popular | 60 of 1099 |
| Most Focused | 164 of 1099 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Geological & Earth Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 111 of 241 |
| Most Popular | 181 of 428 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 184 of 809 |
| Most Popular | 250 of 1476 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
General Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 169 of 814 |
| Most Popular | 231 of 1381 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Public Administration & Social Service
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | 150 of 401 |
| Best Value | 12 of 393 |
| Most Popular | 113 of 865 |
| Most Focused | 360 of 865 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Public Administration
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 16 of 44 |
| Most Popular | 33 of 143 |
| Most Focused | 40 of 143 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Social Work
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 68 of 354 |
| Most Popular | 150 of 578 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Social Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 156 of 654 |
| Most Popular | 389 of 1316 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Anthropology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 108 of 254 |
| Most Popular | 94 of 427 |
| Most Focused | 100 of 427 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Political Science & Government
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 186 of 577 |
| Most Popular | 395 of 1081 |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Sociology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 130 of 523 |
| Most Popular | 203 of 962 |
| Most Focused | 416 of 962 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Visual & Performing Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 107 of 626 |
| Most Popular | 315 of 1482 |
| Most Focused | 739 of 1482 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Design & Applied Arts
better worse | |
| Most Popular | |
| Most Focused | |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Drama & Theater Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 64 of 308 |
| Most Popular | 202 of 808 |
| Most Focused | 361 of 808 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Fine & Studio Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 124 of 501 |
| Most Popular | 198 of 1075 |
| Most Focused | 441 of 1075 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Music
better worse | |
| Top Ranked | |
| Best Value | 121 of 365 |
| Most Popular | 224 of 1036 |
| Most Focused | 477 of 1036 |
| Highest Paid Grads |
Men's Sports
better worse | |
| Men's Baseball (D1) | |
| Men's Basketball (D1) | |
| Men's Football (FCS) |
Veterans
better worse | |
| Overall | 305 of 1751 |
Biological & Biomedical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
General Biology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Business, Management & Marketing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 379 of 852 |
Accounting
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Business Administration & Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 276 of 748 |
Entrepreneurial Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Finance & Financial Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Hospitality Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Management Information Systems
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Marketing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 182 of 416 |
Communication & Journalism
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Communication & Media Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Radio, Television & Digital Communication
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Computer & Information Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Computer Science
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Special Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Teacher Education Subject Specific
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Electrical Engineering
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
English Language & Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
General English Literature
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Foreign Languages & Linguistics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Romance Languages
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Health Professions
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 111 of 595 |
Dietetics & Clinical Nutrition Services
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Nursing
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Public Health
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Criminal Justice & Corrections
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Mathematics & Statistics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Mathematics
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
International Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Natural Resources & Conservation
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Natural Resource Management
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness Studies
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 194 of 464 |
Health & Physical Education
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Physical Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Chemistry
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 215 of 435 |
Geological & Earth Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 360 of 834 |
General Psychology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 327 of 839 |
Public Administration & Social Service
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 78 of 400 |
Public Administration
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Social Work
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Social Sciences
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Anthropology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Political Science & Government
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Sociology
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Visual & Performing Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 266 of 640 |
Drama & Theater Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans | 109 of 314 |
Fine & Studio Arts
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Music
better worse | |
| Top Ranked Veterans |
Non-Traditional Students
better worse | |
| Overall | 295 of 1291 |
Business, Management & Marketing
better worse | |
| Best for Non-Traditional Students | 341 of 731 |
| Top Ranked Online | |
| Most Popular Online |
Marketing
better worse | |
| Best for Non-Traditional Students | 139 of 372 |
| Top Ranked Online | 17 of 54 |
| Most Popular Online | 38 of 117 |
Education
better worse | |
| Best for Non-Traditional Students | |
| Top Ranked Online | |
| Most Popular Online | 59 of 186 |
Teacher Education Grade Specific
better worse | |
| Most Popular Online | 39 of 128 |
Health Professions
better worse | |
| Best for Non-Traditional Students | 110 of 543 |
| Top Ranked Online | 101 of 300 |
| Most Popular Online | 107 of 662 |
Allied Health Professions
better worse | |
| Most Popular Online | 22 of 70 |
Nursing
better worse | |
| Best for Non-Traditional Students | |
| Top Ranked Online | |
| Most Popular Online | 96 of 471 |
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting
better worse | |
| Best for Non-Traditional Students | |
| Top Ranked Online | |
| Most Popular Online | 51 of 369 |
Criminal Justice & Corrections
better worse | |
| Best for Non-Traditional Students | |
| Top Ranked Online | 58 of 133 |
| Most Popular Online | 48 of 341 |
Public Administration & Social Service
better worse | |
| Best for Non-Traditional Students | 73 of 368 |
| Top Ranked Online | 13 of 39 |
| Most Popular Online | 56 of 136 |
Public Administration
better worse | |
| Best for Non-Traditional Students | |
| Top Ranked Online | |
| Most Popular Online | 10 of 34 |
International Quality
better worse | |
| OVERALL | |
| Canada | |
| Japan | |
| Saudi Arabia |
International Value
better worse | |
| OVERALL | 227 of 1209 |
| Canada | 184 of 677 |
| Japan | 156 of 441 |
| Saudi Arabia | 124 of 545 |
