Western Governors University

www.wgu.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$7,162

12.3% growth from 2020

2021 Average Net Price

$10,336

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

0.794%

Default Rate

2021 Enrolled Students

150,116

100% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

63.6%

194 Graduates

About

Western Governors University is a higher education institution located in Salt Lake County, UT. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Western Governors University were Registered Nursing (10,730 degrees awarded), General Business Administration & Management (3,061 degrees), and Elementary Education & Teaching (1,815 degrees).

In 2021, 49,508 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Western Governors University. 69.5% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 30.5% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (33,079 degrees), 8.29 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (3,992 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Western Governors University is $7,162, which is $−16,022 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at Western Governors University is $7,162, which is $−16,022 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $10,336.

In 2021, 38% of undergraduate students attending Western Governors University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 45% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$7,162

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at Western Governors University was $7,162. The cost of tuition at Western Governors University is $−16,022 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($23,184).

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

Average Net Price

$10,336

2021 Value

17.6%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 Western Governors University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $10,336. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of Western Governors University grew by 17.6%.

This chart compares the average net price of Western Governors 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

$6,000

Room and Board

$200

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Western Governors University was of $6,000 in 2021. The cost of room and board did not change between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $200. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

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

Financial Aid by Income Level

38%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

45%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

38% of undergraduate students at Western Governors University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 2.7% with respect to 2020, when 37% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Western Governors 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.

0.794%

2019 Default Rate

253

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Western Governors University was 0.794%, which represents 253 out of the 31873 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.

Enrollment

Western Governors University had a total enrollment of 150,116 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at Western Governors University is 150,116 students and the part-time enrollment is 0. This means that 100% of students enrolled at Western Governors University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Western Governors University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 59.9% White, 11.2% Hispanic or Latino, 10.1% Black or African American, 3.87% Asian, 2.44% Two or More Races, 1.33% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.558% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Western Governors University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (36.9%), followed by White Male (22.5%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (7.12%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (43.8%), followed by White Male (17.2%) and Black or African American Female (7.14%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

100%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Western Governors University in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 150,116 students. The full-time enrollment at Western Governors University is 150,116 and the part-time enrollment is 0. This means that 100% of students enrolled at Western Governors University are enrolled full-time compared with 68.3% at similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

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

Retention Rate over Time

63%

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 Western Governors University was 63%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Masters Colleges and Universities (73%), Western Governors University had a retention rate lower than its peers.

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

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
89,919 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
16,792 enrolled students
Black or African American
15,198 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Western Governors University is 59.9% White, 11.2% Hispanic or Latino, 10.1% Black or African American, 3.87% Asian, 2.44% Two or More Races, 1.33% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.558% 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 Masters Colleges and Universities is 52% White, 16.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 12.8% 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, 15,823 students (10.5%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 19,320 more women than men received degrees from Western Governors University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Western Governors University is white (33,079 degrees awarded). There were 8.29 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (3992 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Western Governors University is Registered Nursing (10,730 degrees awarded), followed by General Business Administration & Management (3,061 degrees) and Elementary Education & Teaching (1,815 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Western Governors University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are EDUCATION. (12,503 degrees awarded), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (5,881 degrees), and Health (18,666 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Western Governors University are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,791,367 people), Registered nurses (1,451,114 people), Accountants & auditors (1,076,092 people), Other managers (834,749 people), and Software developers (608,485 people).

The most specialized majors at Western Governors University in 2021 are EDUCATION. (12,503 degrees awarded), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (5,881 degrees), Health (18,666 degrees), and Business (12,458 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 Western Governors University are Surgeons, Physicians, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, Architectural & engineering managers, and Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

The most specialized majors at Western Governors University are EDUCATION. (12,503 degrees awarded), Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (5,881 degrees), Health (18,666 degrees), and Business (12,458 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 Western Governors University are Elementary & secondary schools (3,259,138 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (1,860,716 people), Computer Systems Design (1,008,191 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (672,075 people), and Banking & related activities (554,973 people).

Majors Awarded

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

Most Common (2021)

Registered Nursing
10,730 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
3,061 degrees awarded
Elementary Education & Teaching
1,815 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Western Governors University was Registered Nursing with 10,730 degrees awarded.

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

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

15,094

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

34,414

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 15,094 degrees were awarded to men at Western Governors University, which is 0.439 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (34,414).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 2929 degrees were awarded to men at Western Governors University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.948 times less than the 3090 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 9551 degrees were awarded to men at Western Governors University in Registered Nursing, which is 8.1 times more than the 1179 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

100% Completion Time

21%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 5% of students graduating from Western Governors University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 21% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 37% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Masters Colleges and 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.

Asian Male

Highest Graduation Rate (100%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at Western Governors University is Male and Asian (100% graduation rate). Across all Masters Colleges and 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, 4.64% of graduates (9 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
33,079 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
3,992 degrees awarded
Black or African American
3,523 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Western Governors University is white (33,079 degrees awarded). There were 8.29 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (3992 degrees).

10.5% of degree recipients (5,208 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
23,204 degrees awarded
White Male
9,875 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
2,649 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Western Governors University is white female (23,204 degrees awarded). There were 2.35 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (9875 degrees).

Operations

Western Governors University has an endowment valued at nearly $589k, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 64.3M (10.9k%) compared to the 13.1% average return (6.61M on 50.4M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2021, Western Governors University had a total salary expenditure of 967M. Western Governors University employs 2,956 No academic ranks. Most academics at Western Governors University are Female No academic rank (2,170), and Male No academic rank (786).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Western Governors University are: Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 758 employees, Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services, with 731 employees, and Management with 629 employees.

Endowment

$589k

2021 Endowment

42.3%

growth from 2020

Western Governors University has an endowment valued at about $589k, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of Western Governors University grew 42.3% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $49.8M lower than than the median endowment of Masters Colleges and Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

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

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$488M

2021 Salaries

12.6%

growth from 2020

In 2021, Western Governors University paid a median of $488M in salaries, which represents 50.5% of their overall expenditure ($967M) and a 12.6% growth from the previous year.

The median for similar Masters Colleges and Universities is 35.1M (41.3% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$202M

Instructional Salaries

2,956

Number of Employees

In 2021, Western Governors University paid a total of $202M to 2,956 employees working as instructors, which represents 41.3% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $11M (31.3%) for similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

Occupations by Share

No academic rank

Most Common Instructor

2,956 Employees

Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

758 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at Western Governors University was No academic rank with 2,956 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Western Governors University were Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 758 employees, Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 731 employees, and Management with 629 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Female No academic rank
Male No academic rank

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Western Governors University was Female No academic rank with 2,170 employees, and Male No academic rank with 786 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Western Governors University.