Quad

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, NCQuad's selectivityHighly selective
Known forTop test scoresDraws students nationallyHigh earnersHigh graduation rateTest-optional heavy
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Updates

What changed

New and revised figures from the latest data releases, each with its year.

Published Oct 8, 2026

  • Fall 2025: middle 50% SAT Math 700–760 (fall 2024: 710–770)Wake Forest University Common Data Set 2025–26
  • Entered fall 2024: 92% returned for a second year (entered fall 2023: 93%)Wake Forest University Common Data Set 2025–26

Sources:Wake Forest University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Wake Forest University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Admissions · Fall 2024

1 in 5 applicants admitted

Wake Forest admits about 1 in 5 applicants (22%). That puts it in the "Highly selective" tier, more selective than 95% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

22%

22%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityHighly selective

Applied

18,727

Admitted

4,058

Yield

36%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1420–1490

10001600
ACT middle 50%

32–34

1836
Applications +68% since fall 2014 · admit rate 34% → 22%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A medium campus of 5,485 undergrads, where 10% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

5.5K

undergrads · larger than 79% of colleges

Diversity index

0.55

Pell Grant

10%

below the median

First generation

12%

below the median

Large cityNCAA D-I FBS · Atlantic Coast ConferenceROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research
More diverse · index 0.44 → 0.55 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Finance, General (11% of graduates). 10 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 76% of colleges. 76% of faculty are full-time. Spends $35,708 a year on instruction per student.

10 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 76% of colleges

Most popular major

Finance, General

11% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

$146.6K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

76%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$35.7K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $65,515 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $41.2K more than the national median. The 35% who received grants paid $24,401 on average; the other 65% paid the full sticker price of $87,556.

25%

$65.5K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $41.2K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price
$87,556 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid
avg $23K
the college reports merit aid to students without need
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 25% of full price

Federal loans

14%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost rising · +7% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $78,158 ten years after enrolling, more than at 90% of colleges; 90% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 3.4 years of that salary.

90%

90%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$78.2K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$21.5K

≈ $228/month for 10 years

Retention

92%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 88% → 89% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 10% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid rose 7%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 68% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 34% to 22%.

  • Cost

    Rising

    +7% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +68%

  • Selectivity

    More selective

    admit rate 34% → 22%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.44 → 0.55

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

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Colgate University

20% admit · SAT 1485 · 3.2K undergrads

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Lafayette College

31% admit · SAT 1420 · 2.8K undergrads

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    Wake Forest University Common Data Set 2025–26

    Wake Forest University · Fall 2025; Fall 2027 applicants; Entered fall 2024; 2025–26 (estimated); 2025–26; Fall 2026 entrants; Entered fall 2019; Fall 2026 cycle; 2026–27; Class of 2025 · retrieved 2026-10-05

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    Wake Forest University (2026–27)

    Wake Forest University · 2026–27 · retrieved 2026-10-10

  13. 13
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  19. 19
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  20. 20
    Wake Forest University (2026)

    Wake Forest University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 199847 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything