Wake Forest University
Private nonprofit four-year university in Winston-Salem, NC that costs an average of $28,165 a year after financial aid, admits 22% of applicants and graduates 90% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$28,165
Acceptance rate
22%
Graduation rate
90%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$104,443
Private nonprofitLarge city5,485 undergraduates
Cost of Wake Forest University
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $91,202 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $70,332 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $19,054 |
| Books and supplies | $1,718 |
| Average net price after aid | $28,165 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $6,242 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $6,576 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $14,876 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $13,571 |
| $110,001+ | $65,247 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships. Get your own estimate with Wake Forest University's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 22% |
|---|---|
| Average SAT | 1,475 |
| SAT reading (25th–75th percentile) | 700–750 |
| SAT math (25th–75th percentile) | 710–770 |
| ACT composite (25th–75th percentile) | 32–34 |
| Test scores | Considered but not required |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 90% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 93% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $78,645 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $104,443 |
| Rank in North Carolina (earnings) | 2nd of 55 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $19,500 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $222 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 12% |
| Students with federal loans | 13% |
Majors and programs at Wake Forest University
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (39)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 289 | $116,242 | $19,500 |
| Business/Commerce | 226 | $81,480 | $19,500 |
| Engineering | 72 | $78,620 | $20,000 |
| Economics | 258 | $77,516 | $19,500 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 277 | $59,986 | $17,301 |
| Political Science and Government | 261 | $54,174 | $19,000 |
| English Language and Literature | 76 | $51,584 | $19,500 |
| Sociology | 74 | $47,913 | $19,500 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 203 | $39,950 | $19,500 |
| History | 82 | $39,514 | — |
| Psychology | 266 | $38,630 | $20,000 |
| Biology | 177 | $33,922 | $24,222 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 73 | — | — |
| Anthropology | 24 | — | — |
| Applied Statistics | 7 | — | — |
| Area Studies | 17 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 89 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 51 | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 6 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 121 | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 7 | — | — |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 6 | — | — |
| Education | 7 | — | — |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 17 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 13 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 53 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 10 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 4 | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 48 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 57 | — | — |
| Music | 6 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 18 | — | — |
| Philosophy | 56 | — | — |
| Physics | 19 | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 7 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 60 | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 3 | — | — |
| Statistics | 58 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 13 | — | — |
Master's degree programs (35)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 45 | $217,487 | — |
| Law | — | $112,502 | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 170 | $111,769 | $120,537 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 638 | $109,005 | $63,457 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 524 | $86,745 | $41,354 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 223 | $50,410 | $95,722 |
| Biology | 59 | $47,396 | $71,642 |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | 47 | $42,138 | $55,232 |
| Accounting and Related Services | — | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 12 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 1 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 19 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 10 | — | — |
| Data Analytics | 5 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 15 | — | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 20 | — | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 34 | — | — |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities | 15 | — | — |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | 66 | — | $68,806 |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 111 | — | $61,500 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 29 | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 16 | — | — |
| Marketing | 19 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 15 | — | — |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | 2 | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 25 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 17 | — | — |
| Physics | 2 | — | — |
| Psychology | 15 | — | — |
| Public Health | 19 | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 1 | — | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 11 | — | — |
| Statistics | 15 | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 36 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 26 | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (11)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 2 | — | — |
| Biology | 7 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 20 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 14 | — | — |
| Genetics | 1 | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 17 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 3 | — | — |
| Molecular Medicine | 10 | — | — |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 20 | — | — |
| Physics | 8 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 18 | — | — |
Professional degree programs (3)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | 244 | $87,987 | $94,987 |
| Medicine | 282 | $64,600 | $241,674 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 24 | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (11)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 8 | — | — |
| Data Science | 3 | — | — |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities | 3 | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 1 | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 1 | — | — |
| Marketing | 2 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 1 | — | — |
| Statistics | — | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 3 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | — | — | — |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | 4 | — | — |
Similar colleges in North Carolina
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Point University | High Point | $41,019 | 75% | $73,547 |
| Duke University | Durham | $23,706 | 5.7% | $113,937 |
| Elon University | Elon | $35,785 | 66% | $82,524 |
| Campbell University | Buies Creek | $25,057 | 87% | $59,026 |
| Wingate University | Wingate | $21,511 | 91% | $57,646 |
| Davidson College | Davidson | $15,060 | 13% | $89,297 |
| Gardner-Webb University | Boiling Springs | $21,150 | 77% | $53,543 |
| University of Mount Olive | Mount Olive | $18,927 | 76% | $54,851 |
About Wake Forest University
| Type | Private nonprofit four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | Winston-Salem, NC |
| Setting | Large city |
| Undergraduates | 5,485 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 10 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Website | wfu.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is Wake Forest University's acceptance rate?
Wake Forest University admits 22% of applicants, making it selective. Admitted students average 1,475 on the SAT.
How much does Wake Forest University cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $91,202 a year (tuition and fees: $70,332). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $28,165 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $6,242.
How much do Wake Forest University graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $104,443 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 2nd of 55 similar colleges in North Carolina. The best-paid bachelor's program is finance and financial management services ($116,242 a year after graduation).
What is Wake Forest University's graduation rate?
90% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 93% of first-year students return for a second year.