Online Programs at Western Carolina University
Western Carolina University is a Public, 4 years located in Cullowhee, NC. It offers total 114 programs and, of that, 31 programs are offered via distance education (online classes). For the academic year 2023-2024, 2,836 students have enrolled online exclusively out of 11,686 total enrollment (the rate of online enrollment is 24.27%). Western Carolina University is accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges.
- The 2025 tuition & fees are $4,630 for North Carolina residents and $8,630 for out-of-state where the average tuition & fees over colleges that offer online programs/courses is $14,992.
- Total 2,836 students have enrolled online exclusively out of 11,686 total students.
- The school offers 114 major programs and, of that, 31 programs are available via online education.
2025 Tuition & fees
The 2025 tuition & fees at Western Carolina is $4,630 for North Carolina residents and $8,630 for out-of-state students. The tuition & fees has increased by 1.15% from last year.
The next table shows the 2025 tuition & fees and the tuition trends over last 5 years at Western Carolina.
You can check and view more costs information including living costs, books & supplies, and tuition per credit hour at Western Carolina University Cost of Attendance page.
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina Residents | Out-of-State | North Carolina Residents | Out-of-State | |
| 2021 | $4,285 | $8,285 | $7,414 | $17,821 |
| 2022 | $4,367 | $8,367 | $7,480 | $17,887 |
| 2023 | $4,453 | $8,453 | $7,566 | $17,973 |
| 2024 | $4,532 | $8,532 | $7,778 | $18,497 |
| 2025 | $4,630 | $8,630 | $7,876 | $18,595 |
Tuition per Credit Hour
The 2025 undergraduate tuition per credit hour at Western Carolina University is $184 for North Carolina residents and $339 for out-of-state students. The undergraduate tuition per credit hour has decreased by 1.00% from last year.
The 2025 graduate tuition per credit hour is $443 for North Carolina residents and $1,214 for out-of-state students. The graduate tuition per credit hour has decreased by 0.96% from last year.
The next table and chart show the 2025 tuition per credit hour and its trends over last 5 years at Western Carolina University.
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina Residents | Out-of-State | North Carolina Residents | Out-of-State | |
| 2021 | $173 | $332 | $410 | $1,174 |
| 2022 | $177 | $333 | $433 | $1,197 |
| 2023 | $181 | $341 | $429 | $1,240 |
| 2024 | $184 | $340 | $442 | $1,260 |
| 2025 | $184 | $339 | $443 | $1,214 |
Offered Online Programs
Western Carolina University offers 114 major programs through Certificate, Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate, Post Graduate Certificate degrees/programs. Of that, 30 online programs are offering via distance learning (online classes).
You can view all major programs at Western Carolina University at Area of Study & Major Program page with completer and earning after graduation information.
| Number of Online Programs | Number of Total Programs | |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 9 | 66 |
| Master's | 12 | 28 |
| Doctorate (Research) | 0 | 1 |
| Doctorate (Professional) | 1 | 3 |
| 1 Year Certificate | 2 | 7 |
| Post-BS Certificate | 5 | 7 |
| Post-MS Certificate | 1 | 2 |
| Total | 30 | 114 |
Online Student Population
There are 11,686 students including both undergraduate and graduate students at Western Carolina. Of that, 2,836 students have enrolled online exclusively.
In addition, 3,047 students have joined to some online courses and 5,803 students only joined to in-classrrom courses.
The next tables show the online students by enrollment type and locality for the academic year 2023-2024.
| Total | Undergraduate | Graduate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 11,686 | 10,112 | 1,574 |
| Enrolled Exclusively in Online Classes | 2,836 | 2,207 | 629 |
| Enrolled Some in Online Classes | 3,047 | 2,675 | 372 |
| Not Enrolled in Online Classes | 5,803 | 5,230 | 573 |
| Total | Undergraduate | Graduate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total (Enrolled Excl.) | 2,836 | 2,207 | 629 |
| North Carolina Residents | 2,599 | 2,041 | 558 |
| Other State in U.S. | 155 | 102 | 53 |
| Outside of U.S. | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Unknown | 78 | 60 | 18 |
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