by our College Data Analytics TeamThis guide covers the real cost of attending Western Governors University, covering the cost range, projected degree costs, net price, debt at graduation, default rates, and aid distribution patterns.
Use the section links below to navigate this overview:
The total published cost of attendance at Western Governors University is about $14,464.00 annually.
Cost is shown below as the full sticker price, the average net price after aid, and the low-income net price.
| Tuition and fees | $8,658.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $5,806.00 |
| Total cost | $14,464.00 |
| That is 56% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $14,464.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$4,180.00 |
| Net price | $10,284.00 |
| That is 69% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $14,464.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$4,664.00 |
| Net price | $9,800.00 |
| That is 70% below the national average net price. | |
| For the full breakdown, see the tuition & fees page plus living costs. |
Published costs have climbed year over year at about 5.1% per year, so the four-year total runs well above today’s cost. The projections below run a full degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and the full sticker price. The loan rows amortise the projected total over a ten-year, 6.8% repayment.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 5.1% | 5.1% | 5.1% |
| Freshman year | $10,304.00 | $10,813.00 | $15,208.00 |
| Senior year | $11,976.00 | $12,567.00 | $17,675.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $44,503.00 | $46,701.00 | $65,683.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $16,954.00 | $17,792.00 | $25,023.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $512.00 | $537.00 | $756.00 |
| Total amount paid | $61,458.00 | $64,493.00 | $90,706.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 5.1% | 5.1% | 5.1% |
| Freshman year | $10,304.00 | $10,813.00 | $15,208.00 |
| Senior year | $10,833.00 | $11,368.00 | $15,989.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $21,137.00 | $22,181.00 | $31,197.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $8,053.00 | $8,450.00 | $11,885.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $243.00 | $255.00 | $359.00 |
| Total amount paid | $29,190.00 | $30,631.00 | $43,082.00 |
For the complete net-price picture, see the net-price section.
The net price is the real out-of-pocket cost — what families pay after grant and scholarship aid is applied. This is the more honest cost figure for most families, since it accounts for institutional and federal aid.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $12,548.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $10,442.00 |
Net price is not the same for every family — it falls as financial need rises and grant aid increases. The figures below give average net price by income bracket:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $9,358.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $9,848.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $10,666.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $13,731.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $14,297.00 |
Get a tailored estimate from the Western Governors University Net Price Calculator, or contact the financial aid office.
Dig into how aid is awarded on the financial aid page.
The median amount borrowed by graduates of Western Governors University is $8,318.00, landing it in the Very Low (<$10k) debt-load classification.
Here’s how debt at graduation distributes across borrowers:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $1,815.00 |
| 25th | $4,040.00 |
| Median (50th) | $8,318.00 |
| 75th | $16,058.00 |
| 90th | $27,653.00 |
The distance from the 10th to the 90th percentile shows how widely debt outcomes vary.
Read the complete debt breakdown on the student-loan-debt breakdown.
Student debt at graduation is not evenly distributed across income levels. The breakdown below segments borrowers by family income at entry:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $7,219.00 |
| Middle income | $8,540.00 |
| High income | $9,602.00 |
Whether your parents attended college is associated with differences in median debt at graduation.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $8,246.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $8,588.00 |
Pell Grants are the largest source of federal need-based aid for undergrads. The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap reveals how borrowing differs by need.
The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap at Western Governors University amounts to $-1,929.00.
The default-rate classification at Western Governors University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 5.2% |
For a sense of scale, Stafford disbursements at Western Governors University add up to $4,366,114,988.00 distributed across 292,965 student borrowers.
Veterans and active-duty students can access dedicated federal education aid including the GI Bill and Tuition Assistance from the Department of Defense.
| GI Bill recipients | 10,778 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $3,836.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 8,249 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $3,210.00 |
Read more about military and veteran aid on the college veterans page.
Use the figures above as a launch point, then think through Western Governors University, consider the following:
Use the pages below to go deeper on a specific part of the cost story:
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.