Solid graduate outcomes with earnings above the peer average.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
Wake Forest graduates demonstrate earnings growth from early to mid-career, with median earnings rising from $67,722 six years after enrollment to $80,513 at eight years, before settling at $78,158 at ten years. This represents 15.4% growth from the six-year to ten-year mark, with some variation typical in longitudinal earnings tracking.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings exceed the peer average, indicating above-typical outcomes for this institution type.
Financial justification for the investment.
Excellent affordability. Median debt of $21,500 is well under annual earnings, enabling comfortable repayment.
Wake Forest graduates carry median debt of $21,500, which falls $2,681 below the peer median of $24,181, indicating somewhat favorable debt outcomes compared to similar institutions. Debt levels range from $12,500 at the 25th percentile to $29,500 at the 75th percentile, showing meaningful variation in borrowing patterns among graduates.
Wake Forest University achieves top-tier return performance, ranking at the 93rd percentile nationally with excellent outcomes relative to educational investment. This positioning reflects the combination of strong absolute earnings at $78,158 median and controlled debt levels at $21,500, creating favorable long-term economics for graduates.
Approximately 21.3% of Wake Forest graduates continue to graduate or professional study, reflecting balanced pathways between immediate workforce entr...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Wake Forest's strongest earning programs cluster in business and technology fields, with Computer Science leading at $114,622 median earnings followed closely by Banking and Financial Support Services at $113,398. Business programs consistently perform well, with Actuarial Science reaching $97,769 and Applied Economics achieving $91,751.
These top-performing programs contrast with liberal arts offerings like English Language and Literature at $40,896 and Analytical Chemistry at $41,025, creating the substantial earnings variation observed in the overall distribution. The concentration of high-earning graduates in business and STEM fields drives Wake Forest's strong absolute earnings performance, while the diversity of program offerings provides pathways for students with different career interests and graduate school plans.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Earnings outcomes show meaningful variation reflecting diverse career paths and program choices. The range from $53,216 at the 25th percentile to $126,384 at the 75th percentile creates a 2.4:1 ratio, indicating substantial spread in post-graduation outcomes.
