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#10 Best Public Universities in North Carolina

WCU Demographics & Diversity

Cullowhee, North Carolina

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Racial Demographics & Diversity

Racial Diversity
Low

A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at WCU are mostly White with a small Black population. The school has low racial diversity. 21% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.

Racial demographics of Western Carolina University students
Race Percent of Students
White 79%
Black 6%
Hispanic 6%
Asian 1%
American Indian / Alaskan 1%
Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0%
Two or more races 4%
International 1%
Race Unknown 1%

Gender Demographics & Diversity

Gender Diversity
Medium

There are 43% more female students than male students enrolled at Western Carolina University with a gender ratio of 59% women to 41% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, WCU has a lower gender diversity than other US colleges and is slightly less inclusive of males.

Male to female gender ratio for Western Carolina University students
Gender Percent of Students
Men 41%
Women 59%
Enrollment by gender for Western Carolina University students
Gender Number of Students
Men 4,797
Women 6,838

Geographic Diversity

Geographic Diversity
Very Low

WCU serves a very low number of students outside of North Carolina, with 80 percent of the student body residing in-state.

Enrollment by geographic location for Western Carolina University students
Origin Percent of Students
In State 80%
Out of State 18%
Foreign 0%
Unknown Location 2%

Economic Diversity

Median Household Income
$56,230 per year

36% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.

Undergrad Student Population

Enrollment
11,635
Undergrad enrollment by age and part time status
Segment Percent of Students
Students Over 25 Years Old 18.6%
Part time Undergrads 13.9%

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=200004 IPEDS survey data for Western Carolina University.

Last updated February 24, 2024