Wake Forest University

www.wfu.edu/

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2020 Undergraduate Tuition

$56,722

4.21% growth from 2019

2020 Average Net Price

$26,324

After Financial Aid

2018 Student Loan

0.675%

Default Rate

2020 Acceptance Rate

32%

11,959 Applicants

2020 Enrolled Students

8,789

91.6% Full-Time

2020 Graduation Rate

88.7%

1,141 Graduates

About

Wake Forest University is a higher education institution located in Forsyth County, NC. In 2020, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Wake Forest University were General Political Science & Government (146 degrees awarded), General Economics (121 degrees), and General Communication (113 degrees).

In 2020, 2,700 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Wake Forest University. 56% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 44% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (1,772 degrees), 7.23 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (245 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Wake Forest University is $56,722, which is $28,159 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Wake Forest University is $56,722, which is $28,159 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $26,324.

In 2020, 48% of undergraduate students attending Wake Forest University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 20% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$56,722

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2020, the cost of tuition at Wake Forest University was $56,722. The cost of tuition at Wake Forest University is $28,159 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,563).

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

Average Net Price

$26,324

2020 Value

6.15%

1 Year Growth

In 2020 Wake Forest University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $26,324. Between 2019 and 2020, the average net price of Wake Forest University grew by 6.15%.

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

$15,018

Room and Board

$1,500

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Wake Forest University was of $15,018 in 2020. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,500. The cost of room and board increased by 4.18% between 2019 and 2020. 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

48%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

20%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

48% of undergraduate students at Wake Forest University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2019, 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.

0.675%

2018 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2018 the default rate for borrower's at Wake Forest University was 0.675%, which represents 8 out of the 1186 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 11,959 undergraduate applications in 2020, which represents a 4.78% annual decline. Out of those 11,959 applicants, 3,825 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 32% acceptance rate.

There were 8,789 students enrolled at Wake Forest University in 2020, and N/A% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Wake Forest University has an overall enrollment yield of 38%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

32%

Acceptance Rate in 2020

3,825

Accepted Out of 11,959

In 2020, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Wake Forest University was 32% (3,825 admissions from 11,959 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2019, which was 29.6%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants declined by −4.78%, while admissions grew by 2.91%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Wake Forest University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

N/A%

Submission Percentage

N/A

Scores Submitted

N/A% of enrolled first-time students at Wake Forest University in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Wake Forest University has a total enrollment of 8,789 students. The full-time enrollment at Wake Forest University is 8,050 students and the part-time enrollment is 739. This means that 91.6% of students enrolled at Wake Forest University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Wake Forest University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 66% White, 7.87% Black or African American, 7.57% Hispanic or Latino, 4.87% Asian, 3.35% Two or More Races, 0.171% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0455% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Wake Forest University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (36.9%), followed by White Male (31.9%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (4.62%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (30.7%), followed by White Male (29.5%) and Black or African American Female (5.11%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

91.6%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Wake Forest University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 8,789 students. The full-time enrollment at Wake Forest University is 8,050 and the part-time enrollment is 739. This means that 91.6% of students enrolled at Wake Forest University are enrolled full-time compared with 76.5% 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

95%

2020 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 95%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (85%), 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

White
5,803
Black or African American
692
Hispanic or Latino
665

The enrolled student population at Wake Forest University is 66% White, 7.87% Black or African American, 7.57% Hispanic or Latino, 4.87% Asian, 3.35% Two or More Races, 0.171% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0455% 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 50% White, 15% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.69% 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, 85 students (0.967%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2020, 324 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 (1,772 degrees awarded). There were 7.23 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (245 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Wake Forest University is General Political Science & Government (146 degrees awarded), followed by General Economics (121 degrees) and General Communication (113 degrees).

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 (203 degrees awarded), Philosophy and Religious Studies (48 degrees), and Math & Statistics (91 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 (344,064 people), Other managers (237,295 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (185,453 people), Postsecondary teachers (171,663 people), and Chief executives & legislators (115,806 people).

The most specialized majors at Wake Forest University are Legal (203 degrees awarded), Philosophy and Religious Studies (48 degrees), Math & Statistics (91 degrees), Social Sciences (357 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (56 degrees).

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, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Aerospace engineers, Physicians, and Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists

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 (405,447 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (333,568 people), Legal services (283,642 people), Computer Systems Design (210,813 people), and Justice, public order, & safety activities (176,416 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

General Political Science & Government
146 degree-majorss awarded
General Economics
121 degree-majorss awarded
General Communication
113 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Wake Forest University was General Political Science & Government with 146 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

1,188

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2020

1,512

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2020

In 2020, 1,188 degrees were awarded to men at Wake Forest University, which is 0.786 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,512).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2020, 130 degrees were awarded to men at Wake Forest University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.13 times more than the 115 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2020, 115 degrees were awarded to women at Wake Forest University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.885 times less than the 130 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

85%

100% Completion Time

89%

150% Completion Time

In 2020, 85% of students graduating from Wake Forest University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 89% 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 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 (72.4%).

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, 0.438% of graduates (5 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
1,772 degrees awarded
Black or African American
245 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
152 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Wake Forest University is white (1,772 degrees awarded). There were 7.23 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (245 degrees).

1.67% of degree recipients (45 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic

White Female
979 degrees awarded
White Male
793 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
150 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Wake Forest University is white female (979 degrees awarded). There were 1.23 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (793 degrees).

Operations

Wake Forest University has an endowment valued at nearly $1.35B, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $5.65M (0.418%), compared to the 3.43% average return ($10.5M on $307M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2020, Wake Forest University had a total salary expenditure of $1.66B. Wake Forest University employs 220 Professors, 192 Associate professors, and 143 Assistant professors. Most academics at Wake Forest University are Male Professors (141), Male Associate professors(109), and Female Assistant professors (84).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Wake Forest University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 427 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 289 employees, and Service with 216 employees.

Endowment

$1.35B

2020 Endowment

1.83%

decline from 2019

Wake Forest University has an endowment valued at about $1.35B, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The endowment of Wake Forest University declined 1.83% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $1.04B 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.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$177M - Federal
$23.9M - State
$0 - Local

As of 2020, Wake Forest University received $177M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $23.9M from state grants and contracts, and $0 from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$889M

2020 Salaries

7.53%

growth from 2019

In 2020, Wake Forest University paid a median of $889M in salaries, which represents 53.5% of their overall expenditure ($1.66B) and a 7.53% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 13.2% growth from 2018 and a 0.428% growth from 2017.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 238M (42.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$69.4M

Instructional Salaries

646

Number of Employees

In 2020, Wake Forest University paid a total of $69.4M to 646 employees working as instructors, which represents 7.81% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $70.3M (29.6%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

220 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

427 Employees

In 2020, the most common positions for instructional staff at Wake Forest University were Professor with 220 employees; Associate professor with 192 employees; and Associate professor with 143 employees.

In 2020, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Wake Forest University were Business and Financial Operations with 427 employees; Office and Administrative Support with 289 employees; and Service with 216 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Female Assistant professor

In 2020, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Wake Forest University was Male Professor with 141 employees, Male Associate professor with 109 employees, and Female Assistant professor with 84 employees.

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