Wake Forest University

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2017 Undergraduate Tuition

$50,524

3.65% growth from 2016

2017 Average Net Price

$23,986

After Financial Aid

2016 Student Loan

1.42%

Default Rate

2017 Acceptance Rate

27.6%

13,071 Applicants

2017 Enrolled Students

8,116

94.2% Full-Time

2017 Graduation Rate

88.2%

1,088 Graduates

About

Wake Forest University is a higher education institution located in Forsyth County, NC. In 2016, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Wake Forest University were General Communication (129 degrees awarded), General Economics (123 degrees), and General Psychology (114 degrees).

In 2017, 2,567 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Wake Forest University. 53.9% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 46.1% awarded men. The majority of degree recipients were white (1,828 degrees), 8.5 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (215 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Wake Forest University is $50,524, which is $24,024 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Wake Forest University is $50,524, which is $24,024 more than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $23,986.

In 2017, 48% of undergraduate students received federal grants, while 24% of undergraduate students received federal loans.

Student Expenses

Tuition Costs

$50,524

2017 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2017, the cost of tuition at Wake Forest University was $50,524. The cost of tuition at Wake Forest University is $24,024 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($26,500).

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

Average Net Price

$23,986

2017 Value

0.672%

1 Year Growth

In 2017 Wake Forest University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $23,986. Between 2016 and 2017, the average net price of Wake Forest University grew by 0.672%.

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

$13,404

Room and Board

$1,400

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Wake Forest University was of $13,404 in 2017. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,400. The cost of room and board increased by 3.14% between 2016 and 2017. 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

Financial Aid by Income Level

48%

Of Undergraduates Receive Grants

24%

Of Undergraduates Receive Federal Loans

48% of undergraduate students at Wake Forest University received grants or loans in 2017. This represents a decline of 2.04% with respect to 2016, when 49% 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.

1.42%

2016 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2016 the default rate for borrower's at Wake Forest University was 1.42%, which represents 17 out of the 1197 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 13,071 undergraduate applications in 2017, which represents a 6.68% annual decline. Out of those 13,071 applicants, 3,604 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 27.6% acceptance rate.

There were 8,116 students enrolled at Wake Forest University in 2017, and N/A% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Wake Forest University has an overall enrollment yield of 37.4%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

27.6%

Acceptance Rate in 2017

3,604

Accepted Out of 13,071

In 2017, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Wake Forest University was 27.6% (3,604 admissions from 13,071 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2016, which was 30.3%. Between 2016 and 2017, the number of applicants declined by -6.68%, while admissions declined by -15.2%.

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 2017 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 8,116 students. The full-time enrollment at Wake Forest University is 7,648 students and the part-time enrollment is 468. This means that 94.2% of students enrolled at Wake Forest University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Wake Forest University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 67.5% White, 8.43% Black or African American, 6.42% Hispanic or Latino, 3.78% Asian, 2.32% Two or More Races, 0.813% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.197% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at Wake Forest University in full-time Undergraduate programs are majority White Female (36.7%), followed by White Male (32.6%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (3.79%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are majority White Female (32.4%), followed by White Male (30.6%) and Black or African American Female (5.92%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

94.2%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Wake Forest University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 8,116 students. The full-time enrollment at Wake Forest University is 7,648 and the part-time enrollment is 468. This means that 94.2% of students enrolled at Wake Forest University are enrolled full-time compared with 78% 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%

2017 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 (83%), 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
5,477
Black or African American
684
Hispanic or Latino
521

The enrolled student population at Wake Forest University is 67.5% White, 8.43% Black or African American, 6.42% Hispanic or Latino, 3.78% Asian, 2.32% Two or More Races, 0.813% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, and 0.197% American Indian or Alaska Native. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 51.5% White, 13.4% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.57% 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, 103 students (1.27%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2017, 201 more women than men received degrees from Wake Forest University. The majority of degree recipients at Wake Forest University are white (1,828 degrees awarded). There were 8.5 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (215 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Wake Forest University is General Communication (129 degrees awarded), followed by General Economics (123 degrees) and General Psychology (114 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 (207 degrees awarded), Philosophy and Religious Studies (45 degrees), and Language & Linguistics (66 degrees).

Workforce

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 (153,089 people), Postsecondary teachers (147,118 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (145,815 people), Other managers (123,388 people), and Physicians (87,587 people).

The most specialized majors at Wake Forest University are Legal (207 degrees awarded), Philosophy and Religious Studies (45 degrees), Language & Linguistics (66 degrees), History (55 degrees), and Physical Sciences (81 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, Dentists, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Physicians, and Personal financial advisors

Common Industries by Major

Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges

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 Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (278,162 people), Elementary & secondary schools (275,260 people), Legal services (126,167 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (113,228 people), and Computer Systems Design (96,737 people).

Degrees

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 Communication
129 degree-majorss awarded
General Economics
123 degree-majorss awarded
General Psychology
114 degree-majorss awarded

In 2017, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Wake Forest University was General Communication with 129 degree-majorss awarded.

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

Gender Breakdown for Common Majors

Degrees Awarded to Men

1,183
1,384

In 2017, 1,183 degrees were awarded to men at Wake Forest University, which is 0.855 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,384).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2017, 163 degrees were awarded to men at Wake Forest University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.27 times more than the 128 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2017, 128 degrees were awarded to women at Wake Forest University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.785 times less than the 163 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

82%

100% Completion Time

88%

150% Completion Time

In 2017, 82% 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.

Diversity

Graduation Rate by Race and Gender

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Female

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Wake Forest University is Female and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (68.1%).

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% of graduates (0 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
1,828 degrees awarded
Black or African American
215 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
122 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Wake Forest University is white (1,828 degrees awarded). There were 8.5 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (215 degrees).

0.662% of degree recipients (17 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Gender

Most Common Gender Demographic

White Female
982 degrees awarded
White Male
846 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
115 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and gender grouping at Wake Forest University is white female (982 degrees awarded). There were 1.16 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (846 degrees).

Operations

Wake Forest University has an endowment valued at nearly $1.21B, as of the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $122M (10.1%), compared to the 5.91% average return ($16.9M on $287M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2017, Wake Forest University had a total salary expenditure of $1.4B. Wake Forest University employs 196 Professors, 168 Instructors, and 138 Associate professors. Most academics at Wake Forest University are Male Professors (131), Male Instructors(84), and Female Instructors (84).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Wake Forest University are: Business and Financial Operations, with 484 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 261 employees, and Service with 236 employees.

Finances

Endowment

$1.21B

2017 Endowment

5.62%

growth from 2016

Wake Forest University has an endowment valued at about $1.21B, as of the end of the 2017 fiscal year. The endowment of Wake Forest University grew 5.62% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $919M 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

$166M - Federal
$17.6M - State
$0 - Local

As of 2017, Wake Forest University received $166M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $17.6M from state grants and contracts, and $0 from local grants and contracts.

Expenses

Salary Expenditure

$727M

2017 Salaries

3.89%

growth from 2016

In 2017, Wake Forest University paid a median of $727M in salaries, which represents 52% of their overall expenditure ($1.4B) and a 3.89% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 17.3% growth from 2015 and a 3.69% growth from 2014.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 215M (42.7% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$63.7M

Instructional Salaries

600

Number of Employees

In 2017, Wake Forest University paid a total of $63.7M to 600 employees working as instructors, which represents 8.76% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $61.3M (31.9%) for similar Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity.

Faculty and Staff

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

196 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

484 Employees

In 2017, the most common positions for instructional staff at Wake Forest University were Professor with 196 employees; Instructor with 168 employees; and Instructor with 138 employees.

In 2017, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Wake Forest University were Business and Financial Operations with 484 employees; Office and Administrative Support with 261 employees; and Service with 236 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Gender

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Male Instructor
Female Instructor

In 2017, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Wake Forest University was Male Professor with 131 employees, Male Instructor with 84 employees, and Female Instructor with 84 employees.

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

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