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IPEDS ID: 433387
OPE ID: 03339400
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Western Governors University
4001 East 700 South, Suite 701, Salt Lake City, Utah 84107
General information:  (801) 274-3280
Website:  www.wgu.edu
Type:  4-year, Private not-for-profit
Awards offered:  Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
Campus setting:  Suburb: Large
Campus housing:  No
Student population:  11,706 (8,344 undergraduate)
Student-to-faculty ratio:  47 to 1
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open-close General Information
Admissionswww.wgu.edu/admissions/requirements.asp
Financial Aidwww.wgu.edu/tuition_financial_aid/financial_aid_application.asp
Apply Onlinewww.wgu.edu/wgu/app/app_step0.asp
Mission Statement
  The primary mission of Western Governors University is to improve quality and expand access to postsecondary educational opportunities by providing a means for individuals to learn, independent of time or place, and to earn competency-based degrees and other credentials that are credible to both academic institutions and employers.
Carnegie Classification
Baccalaureate Colleges--Diverse Fields
Religious Affiliation
Not applicable
Federal Aid
Eligible students may receive Pell Grants and other federal aid (e.g. Direct Loans).
Undergraduate students enrolled who are formally registered with office of disability services
3% or less
Special Learning Opportunities
Teacher certification
Distance learning opportunities
Student Services
Academic/career counseling service
Credit Accepted
Advanced placement (AP) credits
open-close Estimated Student Expenses (Before Aid)
Undergraduate academic year prices
Detailed Expenses2008-20092007-20082006-2007
Tuition and fees$5,870$5,580$5,580
Books and supplies$900$880$850
Living arrangement
Off Campus with Family
Other$1,200$1,140$1,100
Total Expenses2008-20092007-20082006-2007
Off Campus with Family$7,970$7,600$7,530
  • All student expenses data apply to full-time first-time degree/certificate-seeking students.
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This calculator uses estimated student expenses data to estimate the total tuition and fees charged over the duration of a typical 4-year program at this school.
1. Select starting academic year
2. Select tuition inflation rate
 
 
% (0-100 allowed)
  • The output is only an estimate and not a guarantee of the actual amount the student may be charged; it is not binding on the Secretary, the institution of higher education, or the State; and it may change, subject to the availability of financial assistance, State appropriations, and other factors. The student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be eligible for, and receive, an actual financial aid award that includes federal grant, loan, or work-study assistance.
  • The estimated price does not include room and board, books and supplies, &c. (where applicable) and is based on typical tuition and fees figures listed above. Tuition and fees may vary by program. Please contact this institution for detailed price information.
  • Tuition inflation rate estimates for this school are based on the 3 years of data shown in the student expenses section.
Estimate the total tuition costs over the duration of a typical program at this school.
 Multiyear Tuition Calculator
Alternative Tuition Plans
Type of PlanOffered
Tuition guarantee plan
Prepaid tuition plan
Tuition payment planX
Other alternative tuition plan
open-close Financial Aid
Undergraduate students 2007-2008
Total grant aid received by all undergraduate students$9,675,229
Number of undergraduate students who received a Pell Grant3,423
  • Total grant aid includes dollars received from the federal government, a state or local government, the institution, and other sources.
Full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students, 2007-2008
Percentage of students receiving any financial aid
Percentage of students receiving any financial aid Received aid: 75% Did not receive aid: 25%
Percentage of students receiving grant aid by type
Percentage of students receiving grant aid by type Total grants: 41% Federal: 41% Pell: 40% Other Federal: 2%
Average amount of grant aid received by type
Average amount of grant aid received by type Total grants: $2,198 Federal: $2,198 Pell: $2,279 Other Federal: $93
Percentage of students receiving loans by typeAverage amount of loans by type
Percentage of students receiving loans by type Total loans: 72% Federal: 71% Non-federal: 1%Average amount of loans by type Total loans: $5,073 Federal: $5,177 Non-federal: $142
  • For more information on Student Financial Assistance Programs or to apply for financial aid via the web, visit Federal Student Aid.
open-close Enrollment
Fall 2008
Total enrollment11,706
Undergraduate enrollment8,344
Undergraduate transfer-in enrollment3,259
Graduate enrollment3,362
Undergraduate Attendance StatusUndergraduate Student Gender
Undergraduate Attendance Status: Full-time: 100% Part-time: 0%Undergraduate Student Gender: Male: 41% Female: 59%
Undergraduate Race/ethnicity
Undergraduate Race/ethnicity: American Indian or Alaska Native: 1% Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 2% Black or African American: 8% Hispanic/Latino: 5% White: 67% Two or more races: 0% Race/ethnicity unknown: 17% Non-resident alien: 0%
Undergraduate Student AgeUndergraduate Student Residence
Undergraduate Student Age: 24 and under: 8% 25 and over: 92% Age unknown: 0%Undergraduate Student Residence: In-state: 8% Out-of-state: 89% Foreign countries: 0% Unknown: 3%
  • Age data are reported for Fall 2007.
  • Residence data are reported for first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates.
Graduate Attendance Status
Graduate Attendance Status: Full-time: 100% Part-time: 0%
open-close Admissions
Undergraduate application fee (2008-2009): $65
Undergraduate Admissions Fall 2008
TotalMaleFemale
Number of applicants4,9851,8913,094
Percent admitted37%37%37%
Percent admitted who enrolled73%84%66%
Admissions ConsiderationsRequiredRecommended
Formal demonstration of competenciesX
open-close Retention and Graduation Rates
First-to-Second Year Retention Rates

Retention rates measure the percentage of first-time students who are seeking bachelor's degrees who return to the institution to continue their studies the following fall.

Retention Rates for First-Time Students Pursuing Bachelor's Degrees
Student retention: Full-time students: 62%
Percentage of Students Who Began Their Studies in Fall 2007 and Returned in Fall 2008
Overall Graduation Rate and Transfer-Out Rate

The overall graduation rate is also known as the "Student Right to Know" or IPEDS graduation rate. It tracks the progress of students who began their studies as full-time, first-time degree- or certificate-seeking students to see if they complete a degree or other award such as a certificate within 150% of "normal time" for completing the program in which they are enrolled.

Some institutions also report a transfer-out rate, which is the percentage of the full-time, first-time students who transferred to another institution.

Note that not all students at the institution are tracked for these rates. Students who have already attended another postsecondary institution, or who began their studies on a part-time basis, are not tracked for this rate.

Overall Graduation and Transfer-Out Rates for Students Who Began Their Studies in Fall 2002
Overall graduation rate: (!) Overall graduation rate: 56% (!) Transfer-out rate: 16%
Percentage of Full-time, First-Time Students Who Graduated or Transferred Out Within 150% of "Normal Time" to Completion for Their Program
  • (!) Interpret data with caution. There are insufficient cases for a reliable estimate.
Overall graduation rate by gender
Overall graduation rate by gender: (!)Male: 57% (!)Female: 55%
Percentage of Full-time, First-time Students Who Began Their Studies in Fall 2002 and Graduated Within 150% of "Normal Time" to Completion for Their Program
Overall graduation rate by race/ethnicity
Overall graduation rate by race/ethnicity: (!)White: 78%
Percentage of Full-time, First-time Students Who Began Their Studies in Fall 2002 and Graduated Within 150% of "Normal Time" to Completion for Their Program
  • (!) Interpret data with caution. There are insufficient cases for a reliable estimate.
  • One or more categories are not present in the race/ethnicity graph because of an insufficient number of cases.
open-close Programs/Majors
Completions 2007-2008
sort byProgramAssociateBachelorMasterCertificate
  • Data shown are for first majors.
  • (-) Program is not offered at this award level.
Business, management, marketing, and related support services
Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other-19482-
Category total-19482-
Computer and information sciences and support services
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other-89--
Category total-89--
Education
Educational/Instructional Media Design--59-
Mathematics Teacher Education-304214
Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education-41117
Social Science Teacher Education-33617
Special Education and Teaching, General-18--
Teacher Education, Multiple Levels-31122103
Teaching English as Second/Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor--158
Category total-396155159
Liberal arts and sciences, general studies and humanities
General Studies5---
Category total5---
Grand total5679237159
open-close Varsity Athletic Teams
  • No varsity sports data reported for this institution.
open-close Accreditation
Institutional Accreditation
AgencyPeriods of AccreditationStatus
Distance Education and Training Council, Accrediting Commission 6/2/2001 -  Accredited
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities 2/13/2003 -  Accredited
Specialized Accreditation
Agency / ProgramPeriods of AccreditationStatus
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels4/25/2009 -  Accredited
Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the graduate degree levels4/25/2009 -  Accredited
open-close Campus Security
2007 Crime Statistics
Arrests - On-Campus200520062007
Illegal weapons possession00–
Drug law violations00–
Liquor law violations00–
Criminal Offenses - On-Campus200520062007
Murder/Non-negligent manslaughter00–
Negligent manslaughter00–
Sex offenses - Forcible00–
Sex offenses - Non-forcible (incest and statutory rape only)00–
Robbery00–
Aggravated assault00–
Burglary00–
Motor vehicle theft00–
Arson00–
  • The crime data reported by the institutions have not been subjected to independent verification by the U.S. Department of Education. Therefore, the Department cannot vouch for the accuracy of the data reported here.
  • These data do not include incidents that: (a) took place off campus on public property immediately adjacent to and accessible from the Campus; (b) took place on a noncampus building or property owned or controlled by a student organization that is officially recognized by the institution; or (c) incidents at buildings/property owned or controlled by an institution but is not contiguous to the institution. For further information, see http://ope.ed.gov/security.
open-close Federal Loans
Average amount of undergraduate student loans by type, 2007-2008
Loan typeAverage amount
FFEL Subsidized Stafford Loan$3,464
FFEL Unsubsidized Stafford Loan$3,841
Default Rates
Fiscal Year200720062005
Default rate4.4%3.5%3.1%
Number in default905121
Number in repayment2,0281,429666
Aid Programs
  • Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL)
  • Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan)
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