Western Carolina University Career Outcomes & Earnings

At Western Carolina University, the return picture trails its access and mobility measures. Azimuth places the return pillar in the 26th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Graduates earn about $7,916 less than the model expects for similar students. Earnings beyond expectations—the gap between graduate earnings and the model’s expectation for similar students—are in the 25th percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $7,773. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $15,689.

Median earnings are $54,667 four years after completion; Azimuth puts them in the 32nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), is $65,610, leaving earnings $10,943 below it.

At Western Carolina University, the modeled earnings range makes field-level results especially useful. The downside earnings scenario is $45,193 and the upside scenario is $76,201; both are estimated from the program mix rather than observed graduate groups.

Among programs, median earnings four years after completion are $86,853 in Computer Science, $83,954 in Construction Engineering Technology/Technician, and $82,500 in Engineering. Those field results show why the modeled range is broad.

An estimated 27.5% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix rather than observed enrollment. Four-year earnings cover completers who are working and not enrolled, so graduates continuing their education are outside that earnings measure.

The five largest programs at Western Carolina University show a clear split between higher-earning health and technical fields and more moderate-earning business and education programs four years after completion. Nursing is the highest-earning among the largest, with a median of $79,533 across 250 degrees awarded.

Azimuth ranks it #215 nationally within its field. Business Administration and Management, the largest program at 273 degrees a year, reports a median of $57,713 and a national rank of #266.

At the more moderate end, Teacher Education records $47,105 across 150 degrees awarded. Azimuth places it #152 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field.

Criminal Justice sits between the two ends, with median earnings of $55,903 and a national rank of #86.

Public Administration gives Western Carolina University its highest nationally ranked field, placing #4 in Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions. It awarded 90 degrees, and its completers had median earnings of $70,331 four years after completion.

Azimuth ranks Engineering Technologies/Technicians #11 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions; it awarded 53 degrees and shows median earnings of $78,801 four years after completion. Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy ranks #13 nationally in Azimuth among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 27 degrees awarded and median earnings of $49,834 four years after completion.

Engineering ranks #14 nationally, awarded 50 degrees, and had median earnings of $82,500 four years after completion. The university has 35 ranked bachelor’s fields, so results vary materially by field.