---

General Biology at Western Carolina University

What traits are you looking for in a school for General Biology, consider the program at Western Carolina University. We’ve gathered the following information to help you decide.

Western Carolina University sits in Cullowhee, NC.

For the most recent IPEDS reporting year, 86 general biology graduations were recorded at Western Carolina University.

Online Class Availability at Western Carolina University

Distance learning is available at Western Carolina University. Of 11,686 students, 2,836 (24%) studied exclusively online and 3,047 (26%) took at least some classes online.

General Biology Rankings at Western Carolina University

Rankings can help you compare Western Carolina University’s General Biology program against other schools offering the same major.

Master’s-Level Rankings

Ranking	Scope	Rank
Best Value	North Carolina	#3 of 37
Best Schools (Quality)	North Carolina	#21 of 37
Best Value	Southeast (Region)	#69 of 293
Best Schools (Quality)	Southeast (Region)	#158 of 296
Best Value	Nationwide	#370 of 1,237
Best Schools (Quality)	Nationwide	#935 of 1,249

Earnings for General Biology Graduates from Western Carolina University

Graduates of Western Carolina University’s General Biology program earn at the following median levels (per the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard):

Years After Graduation	Median Earnings
1 year	$24,606
2 years	$25,194
3 years	$32,335
4 years	$43,110
5 years	$55,306

Is this above or below average for the school? At the four-year mark, General Biology graduates from Western Carolina University take home a median $43,110, compared with $52,554 for all Western Carolina University graduates — about 18% lower than the school-wide median.

Median Debt at Graduation

Median student loan debt for General Biology graduates from Western Carolina University stands at $26,037.

Student Demographics & Diversity

Take a look at the composition of General Biology graduates at Western Carolina University, by degree type.

Across all degree levels, General Biology graduates at Western Carolina University are 70% women (60) and 30% men (26).

General Biology Bachelor’s Program at Western Carolina University

Of the 74 bachelor’s general biology graduates at Western Carolina University, 74% were women (55) and 26% were men (19).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of General Biology bachelor’s degree recipients at Western Carolina University.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	56
Hispanic / Latino	4
Black / African American	6
Asian	2
American Indian / Alaska Native	1
Two or More Races	1
International (Nonresident)	2
Unknown	2

Racial-ethnic minorities make up 19% of General Biology bachelor’s degree recipients at Western Carolina University, below the national average of 47%.*

General Biology Master’s Program at Western Carolina University

Of the 12 master’s general biology degrees awarded at Western Carolina University, 42% were women (5) and 58% were men (7).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of General Biology master’s degree recipients at Western Carolina University.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	10
Two or More Races	2

Racial-ethnic minorities make up 17% of General Biology master’s degree recipients at Western Carolina University, below the national average of 41%.*

*The racial-ethnic minorities figure is the total number of graduates minus White, international (nonresident), and unknown-race graduates.

More Specific General Biology Concentrations at Western Carolina University

This General Biology program at Western Carolina University breaks down into more specific concentrations:

Concentration	Graduates
Biology Studies	86

Top-Paying Careers for General Biology Graduates

Graduates of the General Biology program at Western Carolina University go on to a range of careers. Here are the highest-paying careers for General Biology graduates, ordered by median annual salary:

Occupation	Nationwide Median Wage
Water Resource Specialists	$179,716
Natural Sciences Managers	$132,227
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists	$111,314
Clinical Research Coordinators	$110,931
Food Science Technicians	$100,898
Biological Technicians	$100,160
Molecular and Cellular Biologists	$100,077
Life Scientists, All Other	$97,541
Bioinformatics Scientists	$92,484
Forensic Science Technicians	$85,117

References

• IPEDS — Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
• U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard
• O*NET Online (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• National Center for Education Statistics

More about our data sources and methodologies.