1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. Wake Forest University Research brief & institution hub Copy linkPrint brief # Wake Forest University NC · Medium private nonprofit institution · Overall rank #195 nationally Data snapshot September 27, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 Overview[Cost & aid](/school/wake-forest-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/wake-forest-university/outcomes/)[Admissions](/school/wake-forest-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/wake-forest-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/wake-forest-university/similar/) ## [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Wake Forest University #195 among 1,467 nonprofit four-year institutions. ### Who it’s a good fit for Wake Forest University is a private nonprofit university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where the degree mix is led by Business and Social Sciences. Return is among the highest we track. Graduates out-earn what the model predicts for students like them. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures — field of study, enrollment and the local labor market — adds, while the unexplained remainder subtracts. At the bottom of the income scale, aid brings the average net price far below the published cost. Pell students complete below the overall rate, and mobility is above average. The admission rate is well below the median for comparable institutions. The largest programs are Business/Commerce, Finance, Political Science, Communication and Media Studies, and Economics. ## Wake Forest University at a glance ### Admissions and outcomes **Admission rate[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)** 21.7% **Six-year completion[\[2\]](#hub-data-note-completion)** 89.1% **Four-year earnings[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)** $92,943 ### Cost and family borrowing **Average annual net price · $48–75K family income[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)** $7,647 **Median student debt[\[4\]](#hub-data-note-student-debt)** $21,500 **Median Parent PLUS debt[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps)** $30,000 ## Wake Forest University rankings: how Azimuth assesses value[\[5\]](#hub-data-note-rankings) Wake Forest University sits in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as a private nonprofit university enrolling 5,485 undergraduates. Its standing among nonprofit four-year institutions is near the top (at the 87th percentile). 21.7% of applicants are admitted to Wake Forest University, a rate that sits far below the 71.2% median at comparable institutions (same type and size). Among full-time first-year students, 92.6% return for a second year, against a peer median of 83.4%. For the first-time full-time cohort, the [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) is 89.1%, against a peer median of 68.8%. Because an estimated 3.2% of entrants arrive as transfers or part-time students, that rate reflects the experience of the large majority who begin as first-year students. Return is the strongest pillar, at the 97th percentile, while affordability is the weakest, at the 26th percentile. Access and mobility sit between them, at the 54th and 59th percentiles. The four pillars are spread far apart. Return is the strongest pillar, in the 97th percentile. Affordability is the weakest, in the 26th percentile, and the gap between the two is wide. Access is in the 54th percentile and mobility in the 59th percentile. 10.1% of undergraduates at Wake Forest University receive Pell Grants. Azimuth ranks Wake Forest University #671 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Pell recipients complete at 83.9%, 5.2 percentage points below the overall [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/). Azimuth ranks the university #605 for mobility. Graduates earn about $8,836 more than the model expects for similar students. [How value-added outcomes are assessed](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) · [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) Wake Forest University rankings in context | Geography | Rank | | --- | --- | | National | #195 | Azimuth overall value rankings within each geographic comparison group. ### National pillar percentiles **Economic mobility** National percentile: 59 **Access & reach** National percentile: 54 **[Affordability](/school/wake-forest-university/cost/)** National percentile: 26 **[Return on investment](/school/wake-forest-university/outcomes/)** National percentile: 97 ### Top-ranked majors 1. Business/Commerce, General**#3** 2. English Language and Literature, General**#4** 3. Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness**#5** This school’s three highest-ranked programs nationally. Each rank compares bachelor’s programs in the same field; field sizes differ. [Explore major rankings](/school/wake-forest-university/majors/#major-rankings) 01 / Wake Forest University briefing ## [Wake Forest University cost & financial aid](/school/wake-forest-university/cost/)[\[6\]](#hub-data-note-net-price)[\[7\]](#hub-data-note-gps) Wake Forest University lists a published cost of attendance of $87,499 for the standard budget. The published tuition and fees are $67,642, and room and board are $18,494. At the university, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is $28,719, with grants and scholarships reducing the published cost by $58,780 on average. That net price is $1,348 above the median of $27,371 for comparable institutions (same type and size). Azimuth ranks Wake Forest University #1,052 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. That places the affordability pillar at the 26th percentile. The published cost of attendance at Wake Forest University is $87,499. Azimuth ranks the university #1,052 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. For families earning under $30,000, the average [net price](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is $6,525; for those earning $48,001 to $75,000, it is $7,647; and for those earning over $110,000, it is $58,081. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $51,556. Aid covers about 67% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, bringing the average net price across all bands to $28,719. That figure is $1,348 above the $27,371 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median of $21,500 in federal student loans, which is $2,699 below the $24,199 peer median. 90.7% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. Parents who borrow through the [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a separate median of $30,000. The median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $244 a month if repaid over ten years. Your family income Choose a household income range to see estimated net price. $0–30K$30–48K$48–75K$75–110K$110K+ Reported average annual net price · $48–75K**$7,647** After grants and scholarships. Your aid offer may differ. Averages within each income band; individual aid packages vary. ### Borrowing and repayment at Wake Forest University Among undergraduates at Wake Forest University, 90.7% of federal aid recipients take federal loans. For borrowers who complete a degree, the median federal student debt is $21,500. That median is $2,699 below the $24,199 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Parents who borrow through the [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) program hold a separate median of $30,000. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of Wake Forest University who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $92,943. That figure is in the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, and it runs $24,693 above the $68,250 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). Graduates earn about $8,836 more than the model expects for similar students, a result at the 81st percentile. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, range from a downside of $57,872 to an upside of $131,137. On the borrowing side, the median federal debt at completion is $21,500, which is $2,699 below the median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $244 a month if repaid over ten years. Earnings run above both the peer median and the model's expectation, while debt stays below the peer median. For the separate population of parent borrowers, median [Parent PLUS](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) borrowing is $30,000. For student borrowers, that debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $244 a month if repaid over ten years. [How Financial GPS measures payment burden](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) · [The four risk-and-reward zones](/analysis/4-zones-of-college-risk-and-reward/) Financial GPS ### What does repayment look like? **Institution median student debt** $21,500 **Institution Parent PLUS debt** $30,000 Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included. **Estimated student payment · monthly** $244/mo **Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly** $381/mo Payments use school-wide median balances, not a specific major’s. Payment assumptions Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates. [Explore your own numbers in Financial GPS](/financial-gps/?tool=student&school=wake-forest-university#student-tool) [Read the full cost & aid brief](/school/wake-forest-university/cost/) 02 / Wake Forest University briefing ## [Wake Forest University career outcomes & earnings](/school/wake-forest-university/outcomes/)[\[3\]](#hub-data-note-earnings)[\[8\]](#hub-data-note-scenarios)[\[9\]](#hub-data-note-value-added) Return is the strongest pillar at Wake Forest University, landing at the 97th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The median earnings figure sits at $92,943 four years after completion. That is at the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. That is $24,693 above the $68,250 median for comparable institutions of the same type and size. Graduates earn about $8,836 more than the model expects for similar students, a result that places the gap at the 81st percentile. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $10,210. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $1,374. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,534. The median early-career paycheck at Wake Forest University is $92,943 for federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled four years after completion. The peer median is the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size). That median sits $24,693 above the peer median of $68,250. Graduates earn about $8,836 more than the model expects for similar students, a result in the 81st percentile. That median lands in the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, drawn from 945 completers. Earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, stretch from $57,872 on the downside to $131,137 on the upside, with $92,943 as the typical outcome. An estimated 34.5% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. The four-year earnings figure reflects only the wage-earning path. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $92,943. That places Wake Forest University at the 95th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median for comparable institutions (same type and size) is $68,250, so the median here runs $24,693 above it. Graduates earn about $8,836 more than the model expects for similar students. That puts the gap at the 81st percentile. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) the university #40 for return. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $10,210. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $1,374. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $1,534. The earnings scenarios, estimated from the program mix, range from a downside of $57,872 to an upside of $131,137. An estimated 34.5% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. The earnings scenarios show a wide spread: from $57,872 on the downside to $131,137 on the upside. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. At the higher end, Management Science graduates earn $146,608 four years after completion, from 18 degrees awarded a year. Finance follows at $145,996, with 147 degrees awarded. Graduates earn about $8,836 more than the model expects for similar students. That places the gap at the 81st percentile. Borrowers who finish leave with a median of $21,500 in federal student loans, $2,699 below the $24,199 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $244 a month if repaid over ten years. Parents who borrow hold a separate median of $30,000 in Parent PLUS loans. Earnings are above the model's expectation and the peer median, while debt is below the peer median. A family weighing Wake Forest University should look closely at the net price for their income band. The published cost of attendance is high and affordability is the weakest of the four pillars. What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$10,210 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$1,374 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$8,836 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. [Read the full outcomes brief](/school/wake-forest-university/outcomes/) 03 / Wake Forest University briefing ## [Wake Forest University acceptance rate & admissions](/school/wake-forest-university/admissions/)[\[1\]](#hub-data-note-admission)[\[10\]](#hub-data-note-sat)[\[11\]](#hub-data-note-retention) Wake Forest University admits 21.7% of applicants, well below the median of 71.2% for comparable institutions (same type and size). SAT: reported composite scores **Admission rate** 21.7% **25th percentile** 1420 **Median** 1450 **75th percentile** 1490 CDS 2025-26 · enrolled first-year score submitters. This range is not an admission cutoff. [Read the full admissions brief](/school/wake-forest-university/admissions/) 04 / Wake Forest University briefing ## [What are the largest majors at Wake Forest University?](/school/wake-forest-university/majors/)[\[12\]](#hub-data-note-programs) The highest-earning programs at Wake Forest University are concentrated in business and quantitative fields, and the earnings spread between the top and the more moderate programs is substantial. Management Science leads with median earnings of $146,608 four years after completion, though it awards only 18 degrees a year. Finance is both the second-largest program and the second-highest earner, with 147 degrees awarded and median earnings of $145,996; [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #6 nationally in its field. The largest program, Business/Commerce, awards 154 degrees and posts median earnings of $118,167, ranking #3 nationally. By contrast, Political Science awards 133 degrees with median earnings of $85,668, a more moderate figure that still ranks #25 nationally. Business accounts for 22.4% of bachelor's degrees awarded, followed by Social Sciences at 20.6%. The university has 11 nationally ranked program and 13 programs with earnings data. Business/Commerce is the largest program, at 154 degrees a year, with median earnings of $118,167 four years after completion. Finance is close behind at 147 degrees and higher earnings of $145,996. The highest-earning program is Management Science, at $146,608, though it awards only 18 degrees a year. Business/Commerce is the best nationally ranked program, at #3 in its field and #1 in North Carolina. The bachelor's degree mix at Wake Forest University is led by Business, which accounts for 22.4% of degrees awarded. Social Sciences follows at 20.6%, with Communication & Journalism a more distant third at 8.5%. The university has 11 program with an Azimuth national rank and 13 with published four-year earnings data. The largest single programs are Business/Commerce at 154 degrees awarded, Finance at 147, and Political Science at 133. Finance also has the highest median among the larger programs, at $145,996 four years after completion. The highest-ranked program is Business/Commerce, which Azimuth places #1 in North Carolina within its field. It awards 154 degrees a year. The highest-earning program overall is the much smaller Management Science, at 18 degrees awarded and a median of $146,608. The pattern is one of concentrated strength in business fields, where both scale and earnings are high. The top-ranked program is in business, with a different profile: a strong state position and more moderate earnings. Across all fields, 19.3% of degrees awarded are in STEM. Four-year earnings · six largest reported fields **Business/Commerce, General 154 degrees awarded** $118,167 **Finance and Financial Management Services 147 degrees awarded** $145,996 **Political Science and Government 133 degrees awarded** $85,668 **Communication and Media Studies 130 degrees awarded** $77,984 **Economics 120 degrees awarded** $98,209 **Psychology, General 115 degrees awarded** $64,814 Fields selected by reported completions. Counts describe credentials awarded, not unique students or the earnings sample. Bars show median four-year earnings. [Read the full majors brief](/school/wake-forest-university/majors/) 05 / Wake Forest University briefing ## [What colleges are similar to Wake Forest University?](/school/wake-forest-university/similar/)[\[15\]](#hub-data-note-peers) Azimuth groups alternatives by admissions, location, cost and earnings, then orders candidates within each group. Peer earnings use the matched four-year cohort. [How matching works](/school/wake-forest-university/similar/#peer-matching). ### A shortlist for different decisions Choose a row to compare the figures with Wake Forest University. Admissions peerDavidson College13.4% admitted+ Comparison with Wake Forest University | Measure | Wake Forest University | Davidson College | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $92,943 | $72,718\-$20,225 vs Wake Forest University | | Average annual net price | $28,719 | $17,379\-$11,340 vs Wake Forest University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 21.7% | 13.4% | [Explore Davidson College →](/school/davidson-college/) Higher-admission alternativeVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University54.8% admitted+ Comparison with Wake Forest University | Measure | Wake Forest University | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $92,943 | $85,647\-$7,296 vs Wake Forest University | | Average annual net price | $28,719 | $24,953\-$3,766 vs Wake Forest University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 21.7% | 54.8% | [Explore Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University →](/school/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university/) Nearby alternativeElon UniversityNearby option · NC+ Comparison with Wake Forest University | Measure | Wake Forest University | Elon University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $92,943 | $77,800\-$15,143 vs Wake Forest University | | Average annual net price | $28,719 | $41,555+$12,836 vs Wake Forest University · higher cost | | Admission rate | 21.7% | 66.4% | Lower-cost alternativeUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill$11,655 average net price+ Comparison with Wake Forest University | Measure | Wake Forest University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $92,943 | $81,033\-$11,910 vs Wake Forest University | | Average annual net price | $28,719 | $11,655\-$17,064 vs Wake Forest University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 21.7% | 15.3% | [Explore University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill →](/school/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill/) Similar profileEmory UniversityMatched across several measures+ Comparison with Wake Forest University | Measure | Wake Forest University | Emory University | | --- | --- | --- | | Peer earnings · 4 years | $92,943 | $90,139\-$2,804 vs Wake Forest University | | Average annual net price | $28,719 | $22,585\-$6,134 vs Wake Forest University · lower cost | | Admission rate | 21.7% | 10.7% | [Explore Emory University →](/school/emory-university/) Each school is the first-ranked match in its category, not a recommendation across every measure. The same college may lead more than one category. Figures use the matching snapshot; earnings reflect the matched four-year cohort. — means unavailable. [Read the full similar schools brief](/school/wake-forest-university/similar/) ## Data scope & methodology Structured payloads generated September 27, 2026 · Governed hub narrative September 28, 2026 · Governed spoke corpus September 28, 2026 Four-year earnings describe cohorts of completers. Figures for other horizons describe different cohorts and are not joined into a career-growth projection. Azimuth's overall rank and pillar percentiles come from the school profile. Absolute pillar ranks, city, enrollment and official-site links are shown only when structured data supplies them. Detailed earnings, cost, admissions and program values come from the endpoint responsible for each measure. Missing values are not replaced with zero. Value-added estimates are model associations, not causal effects. Figures are refreshed with each data release, at most a quarter apart. The underlying source dates can be earlier than the release. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. [Read the ranking methodology, data definitions and limitations](/methodology/) · [About College Azimuth](/about/) Read the analysis behind [value-added earnings](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) and the [change to four-year graduate earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). These articles are published on collegeazimuth.com. ## Data notes & source fields Scorecard field codes identify the underlying measure; Azimuth-derived values are labeled separately. Snapshot dates are not measurement years. Source populations and reporting periods differ across measures. Field definitions are in the [U.S. Department of Education · College Scorecard documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/files/InstitutionDataDocumentation.pdf); notes with a different source link it below. 1. **Admission rate.** Reported applicants admitted; not a transfer-specific or individual admission probability. Source fields: `ADM_RATE` 2. **Six-year completion.** First-time, full-time students completing at the institution within 150% of normal time, typically six years for a bachelor’s degree. Source fields: `C150_4` 3. **Four-year institutional earnings.** Median earnings of graduates in the reported cohort who are working and not enrolled, four years after completion. Source fields: `MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` 4. **Median federal student debt.** Federal student-loan debt among completers in the reported borrowing cohort. Excludes Parent PLUS and is not total debt across all students. Source fields: `GRAD_DEBT_MDN` 5. **National, regional and state ranks; pillar percentiles; major ranks.** Derived scores within the stated eligible comparison set, not raw Scorecard fields. Major ranks compare institutions within a field; their denominators differ. Source fields: `Azimuth rankings` [College Azimuth · Ranking methodology](/methodology/) 6. **Annual net price by family income.** Average annual cost after grants and scholarships for the eligible first-time, full-time aid-recipient cohort. Public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. Includes living costs; these are averages, not medians or individual offers. Source fields: `NPT4_PUB/PRIV; NPT41_PUB/PRIV through NPT45_PUB/PRIV` 7. **Parent PLUS debt, payments and GPS illustration.** Stored payments use Financial GPS loan and repayment assumptions. The adjustable spectrum applies the published framework to annual student payments divided by earnings minus an expense allowance; its initial allowance uses the frozen 2024 framework baseline. It is an illustration rather than a school rating. Parent PLUS uses the completer median where available, otherwise the all-borrower median; these describe different borrowing populations. Source fields: `PLUS_DEBT_ALL_COMP_MD; fallback PLUS_DEBT_ALL_MD; Azimuth Financial GPS calculations` [College Azimuth · Financial GPS methodology](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/) 8. **Downside and upside earnings; yellow band.** The band spans the modeled lower and higher scenarios. It is not the P25–P75 interval for individual graduates. The median marker is the separately reported institutional median. Source fields: `Azimuth modeled program-mix scenarios` [College Azimuth · Earnings scenario methodology](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) 9. **Value added and its components.** Observed-factor attribution plus the unexplained remainder equals total modeled value added. These are associations, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. Source fields: `Azimuth statistical model` [College Azimuth · Value-added methodology](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) 10. **SAT score range and reported midpoint.** Reported scores of enrolled score-submitters, not admission cutoffs. The midpoint field is not necessarily the middle of the displayed range. Source fields: `SATVR25 + SATMT25; SATVR75 + SATMT75; SAT_AVG` 11. **First-year retention.** Retention of the reported full-time cohort at four-year institutions. Source fields: `RET_FT4` 12. **Program earnings, completion counts and major-mix dots.** Included bachelor’s programs have at least five reported completions. Counts are aggregated credentials, not unique people or an earnings sample. Major-mix dots group those counts by field of study; excluded programs are not zero activity. Source fields: `EARN_MDN_4YR; IPEDSCOUNT1; CIPCODE` [College Scorecard · Field-of-study technical documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FieldOfStudyDataDocumentation.pdf) 13. **Pell recipients.** Share of undergraduates receiving a Pell Grant in the reported academic year. Source fields: `PCTPELL` 14. **Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group.** This is not an observed transfer-in rate. It includes part-time entrants and other entering-student attendance patterns. Source fields: `1 − PFTFTUG1_EF` 15. **Peer earnings and signed differences.** Differences are peer minus this school, from the same matching snapshot. A positive earnings difference does not mean the peer is better on every measure. Source fields: `Azimuth peer model using MD_EARN_WNE_4YR` [College Azimuth · Comparison methodology](/methodology/) [How to interpret program rankings](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/)