Wake Forest University

www.wfu.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$58,708

3.5% growth from 2020

2021 Average Net Price

$24,643

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

0.344%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

25.2%

15,156 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

8,947

90.3% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

90.2%

1,157 Graduates

About

Wake Forest University is a higher education institution located in Forsyth County, NC. In 2021, the most popular Masters Degree concentrations at Wake Forest University were General Business Administration & Management (274 degrees awarded), Management Science (135 degrees), and School Counseling & Guidance Services (97 degrees).

In 2021, 2,875 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Wake Forest University. 54.4% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 45.6% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (1,876 degrees), 8.23 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (228 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Wake Forest University is $58,708, which is $29,716 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at Wake Forest University is $58,708, which is $29,716 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $24,643.

In 2021, 40% of undergraduate students attending Wake Forest University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 17% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$58,708

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at Wake Forest University was $58,708. The cost of tuition at Wake Forest University is $29,716 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Wake Forest University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$24,643

2021 Value

6.39%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 Wake Forest University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $24,643. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of Wake Forest University grew by 6.39%.

This chart compares the average net price of Wake Forest University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$15,520

Room and Board

$1,500

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Wake Forest University was of $15,520 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 3.34% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,500. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Wake Forest University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

40%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

17%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

40% of undergraduate students at Wake Forest University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a decline of 16.7% with respect to 2020, when 48% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Wake Forest University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

0.344%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Wake Forest University was 0.344%, which represents 4 out of the 1164 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Wake Forest University received 15,156 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 26.7% annual growth. Out of those 15,156 applicants, 3,816 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 25.2% acceptance rate.

There were 8,947 students enrolled at Wake Forest University in 2021.

Wake Forest University has an overall enrollment yield of 37%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

25.2%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

3,816

Accepted Out of 15,156

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Wake Forest University was 25.2% (3,816 admissions from 15,156 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 32%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 26.7%, while admissions declined by −0.235%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Wake Forest University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

Enrollment

Wake Forest University had a total enrollment of 8,947 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at Wake Forest University is 8,076 students and the part-time enrollment is 871. This means that 90.3% of students enrolled at Wake Forest University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Wake Forest University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 64.8% White, 7.62% Hispanic or Latino, 7.59% Black or African American, 4.94% Asian, 3.86% Two or More Races, 0.134% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0112% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Wake Forest University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (36.8%), followed by White Male (30.7%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (4.73%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (31.2%), followed by White Male (26.9%) and Black or African American Female (5.29%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

90.3%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Wake Forest University in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 8,947 students. The full-time enrollment at Wake Forest University is 8,076 and the part-time enrollment is 871. This means that 90.3% of students enrolled at Wake Forest University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.6% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Wake Forest University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

94%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Wake Forest University was 94%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), Wake Forest University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Wake Forest University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
5,797 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
682 enrolled students
Black or African American
679 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Wake Forest University is 64.8% White, 7.62% Hispanic or Latino, 7.59% Black or African American, 4.94% Asian, 3.86% Two or More Races, 0.134% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0112% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 48.9% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 111 students (1.24%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 255 more women than men received degrees from Wake Forest University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Wake Forest University is white (1,876 degrees awarded). There were 8.23 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (228 degrees).

The most common Masters Degree concentration at Wake Forest University is General Business Administration & Management (274 degrees awarded), followed by Management Science (135 degrees) and School Counseling & Guidance Services (97 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Wake Forest University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Legal (240 degrees awarded), Language & Linguistics (63 degrees), and Math & Statistics (84 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Wake Forest University are Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (356,627 people), Other managers (251,336 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (178,042 people), Postsecondary teachers (177,021 people), and Chief executives & legislators (120,433 people).

The most specialized majors at Wake Forest University in 2021 are Legal (240 degrees awarded), Language & Linguistics (63 degrees), Math & Statistics (84 degrees), Social Sciences (289 degrees), and PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES. (28 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Wake Forest University are Surgeons, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, Aerospace engineers, Physicians, and Computer and information research scientists

The most specialized majors at Wake Forest University are Legal (240 degrees awarded), Language & Linguistics (63 degrees), Math & Statistics (84 degrees), Social Sciences (289 degrees), and PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES. (28 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Wake Forest University are Elementary & secondary schools (419,504 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (345,015 people), Legal services (293,617 people), Computer Systems Design (227,742 people), and Justice, public order, & safety activities (182,137 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Wake Forest University.

Most Common (2021)

General Communication
150 degree-majors awarded
General Business
131 degree-majors awarded
General Political Science & Government
125 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Wake Forest University was General Communication with 150 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Wake Forest University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,310

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

1,565

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 1,310 degrees were awarded to men at Wake Forest University, which is 0.837 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,565).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Wake Forest University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 172 degrees were awarded to men at Wake Forest University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.69 times more than the 102 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 106 degrees were awarded to men at Wake Forest University in General Psychology, which is 5.58 times more than the 19 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

84%

100% Completion Time

88%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 84% of students graduating from Wake Forest University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 88% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 89% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at Wake Forest University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.346% of graduates (4 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
1,876 degrees awarded
Black or African American
228 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
191 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Wake Forest University is white (1,876 degrees awarded). There were 8.23 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (228 degrees).

1.5% of degree recipients (43 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
991 degrees awarded
White Male
885 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
136 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Wake Forest University is white female (991 degrees awarded). There were 1.12 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (885 degrees).

Operations

Wake Forest University has an endowment valued at nearly $1.86B, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 473M (25.4%) compared to the 10.4% average return (40.5M on 388M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2021, Wake Forest University had a total salary expenditure of 1.74B. Wake Forest University employs 204 Professors, 187 Associate professors and 148 Assistant professors. Most academics at Wake Forest University are Male Professor (132), Male Associate professor (104), and Female Associate professor (83).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Wake Forest University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 404 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 272 employees, and Management with 265 employees.

Endowment

$1.86B

2021 Endowment

38%

growth from 2020

Wake Forest University has an endowment valued at about $1.86B, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of Wake Forest University grew 38% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $1.48B higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Wake Forest University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$968M

2021 Salaries

8.81%

growth from 2020

In 2021, Wake Forest University paid a median of $968M in salaries, which represents 55.5% of their overall expenditure ($1.74B) and a 8.81% growth from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.8% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$70.1M

Instructional Salaries

647

Number of Employees

In 2021, Wake Forest University paid a total of $70.1M to 647 employees working as instructors, which represents 7.25% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

204 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

404 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at Wake Forest University were Professor with 204 employees, Associate professor with 187 employees, and Assistant professor with 148 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Wake Forest University were Business and Financial Operations with 404 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 272 employees, and Management with 265 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Female Associate professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Wake Forest University was Male Professor with 132 employees, Male Associate professor with 104 employees, and Female Associate professor with 83 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Wake Forest University.