A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at WCU are mostly White with a small Black population. The school has low racial diversity. 21% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
79%
|
| Black |
6%
|
| Hispanic |
6%
|
| Asian |
1%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
1%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
4%
|
| International |
1%
|
| Race Unknown |
1%
|
There are 43% more female students than male students enrolled at Western Carolina University with a gender ratio of 59% women to 41% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, WCU has a lower gender diversity than other US colleges and is slightly less inclusive of males.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
41%
|
| Women |
59%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
4,797
|
| Women |
6,838
|
WCU serves a very low number of students outside of North Carolina, with 80 percent of the student body residing in-state.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
80%
|
| Out of State |
18%
|
| Foreign |
0%
|
| Unknown Location |
2%
|
36% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 18.6% |
| Part time Undergrads | 13.9% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=200004 IPEDS survey data for Western Carolina University.