Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC · Private nonprofit · offers Graduate degrees
22%Acceptance rate
$28,719Average net price / year
89%Graduation rate
$78,158Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$21,500Median debt at graduation
5,485Undergraduates
Cost
- In-state tuition & fees
- $67,642
- Total cost of attendance
- $87,499
- Room & board
- $18,494
- Books & supplies
- $1,680
- Average net price
- $28,719
Net price by family income
- $0–30k
- $6,525
- $30–48k
- $6,331
- $48–75k
- $7,647
- $75–110k
- $12,771
- $110k+
- $58,081
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 21.7%
- Average SAT
- 1475
- SAT reading (25–75%)
- 700–750
- SAT math (25–75%)
- 710–770
- ACT composite (25–75%)
- 32–34
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 89%
- First-year retention
- 93%
- Median earnings (6 yrs)
- $67,722
- Median earnings (10 yrs)
- $78,158
- Median debt (graduates)
- $21,500
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0.0%
- Students with Pell grants
- 10%
- Students with federal loans
- 14%
Programs: what graduates earn
28 of 98 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).
Bachelor's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 156 | $85,944 | $19,500 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 120 | $76,722 | $18,899 |
| Computer Science | 67 | $75,625 | $20,549 |
| Economics | 110 | $56,416 | $20,500 |
| Political Science and Government | 119 | $47,161 | $22,500 |
| Sociology | 31 | $46,257 | $23,000 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 124 | $42,055 | $22,250 |
| Psychology, General | 119 | $34,823 | $21,393 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 37 | $31,449 | $19,500 |
| Biology, General | 89 | $30,666 | $21,079 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 102 | $21,192 | $22,777 |
| History | 31 | $42,407 | $20,963 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 27 | $146,608 | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 25 | $51,658 | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 30 | $61,144 | — |
| Chemistry | 22 | $74,850 | $22,250 |
| Mathematics | 32 | $113,570 | — |
Master's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 24 | $202,919 | $103,942 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 84 | $106,711 | $128,561 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 382 | $104,615 | $61,051 |
| Law | — | $96,436 | $49,426 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 276 | $82,055 | $50,885 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 0 | $70,335 | $43,000 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 112 | $45,173 | $76,591 |
| Biology, General | 38 | $44,209 | $57,666 |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | 23 | $40,732 | $59,016 |
First professional degree
Students
- Undergraduates
- 5,485
- Graduate students
- 4,538
- Part-time
- 1%
- Women / men
- 55% / 45%
- White
- 65%
- Hispanic
- 10%
- Black
- 6%
- Asian
- 5%
- International
- 6%
Faculty & school
- Student–faculty ratio
- 10:1
- Avg faculty salary
- $113,994 / year
- Full-time faculty
- 76%
- Accreditor
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Website
- www.wfu.edu
- Also known as
- NA
Most popular fields
- Communication & Journalism – 10% of degrees
- Computer & Information Sciences – 4% of degrees
- Engineering – 3% of degrees
- English – 2% of degrees
- Biological Sciences – 7% of degrees
- Mathematics & Statistics – 4% of degrees
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at Wake Forest University?
21.7% of applicants were admitted, and admitted students averaged 1475 on the SAT.
How much does Wake Forest University cost?
The average net price after grants is $28,719 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $67,642 and the full cost of attendance is $87,499.
How much do Wake Forest University graduates earn?
Students who enrolled earn a median of $78,158 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.
What is the graduation rate?
89% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Other colleges in Winston-Salem
| College | Net price | Acceptance | Graduation | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forsyth Technical Community College Winston-Salem, NC · Public · 7,113 students |
$7,200 | — | 34% | $34,139 |
| Winston-Salem State University Winston-Salem, NC · Public · 4,170 students |
$13,479 | 78% | 47% | $45,344 |
| University of North Carolina School of the Arts Winston Salem, NC · Public · 945 students |
$14,906 | 30% | 78% | $38,357 |
| Carolina University Winston-Salem, NC · Private nonprofit · 460 students |
$20,828 | 40% | 22% | $32,864 |
| Salem College Winston-Salem, NC · Private nonprofit · 423 students |
$18,277 | 77% | 57% | $44,640 |
| Empire Beauty School-Winston-Salem Winston-Salem, NC · Private for-profit · 80 students |
$16,503 | — | 44% | $24,397 |
| Carolina Christian College Winston Salem, NC · Private nonprofit · 52 students |
$22,366 | — | 15% | $40,672 |
| Winston Salem Barber School Winston-Salem, NC · Private for-profit · 29 students |
$14,610 | — | 63% | $16,389 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.