Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsPrivate nonprofit
Western Governors University
6-yr Graduation
46%
-2.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Total enrollment
210,208
peer median 32,038
Avg net price
$12,548
-$17k vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Use this data
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Overall completion
46%-2.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
Overall completion
46%-2.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
4-year graduation
33%
4-year graduation
33%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
46%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
46%
Full-time retention
65%
Full-time retention
65%
Pell equity
11.2pp gap
Pell recipients
39%170 of 440
Non-Pell (all)
50%411 of 818
Subsidized loan, no Pell
39%46 of 118
No Federal Aid
52%365 of 700
Non-Pell students graduate at a 11.2-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 70 Title IV programs, 27 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 43 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Total programs
70
Passing
27
38.6% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national
Pass / fail distribution
70programs
- Passing27 · 38.6%
- No Data43 · 61.4%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
1
Safe
26
No data
43
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Program
Typical
Benchmark
EP gap
Education General
Master's Degree · Education
$56,657
$46,391
National Same-Field BA Median
+22.1%
+$10,266
Education General
Master's Degree · Education
+22.1%
$56,657 vs $46,391
Special Education and Teaching
Master's Degree · Education
$63,218
$46,391
National Same-Field BA Median
+36.3%
+$16,827
Special Education and Teaching
Master's Degree · Education
+36.3%
$63,218 vs $46,391
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Subject Areas
Master's Degree · Education
$65,801
$46,391
National Same-Field BA Median
+41.8%
+$19,410
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Subject Areas
Master's Degree · Education
+41.8%
$65,801 vs $46,391
Education General
Bachelor Degree · Education
$49,646
$34,808
National HS Median
+42.6%
+$14,838
Education General
Bachelor Degree · Education
+42.6%
$49,646 vs $34,808
Special Education and Teaching
Bachelor Degree · Education
$52,090
$34,808
National HS Median
+49.6%
+$17,282
Special Education and Teaching
Bachelor Degree · Education
+49.6%
$52,090 vs $34,808
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Subject Areas
Bachelor Degree · Education
$52,284
$34,808
National HS Median
+50.2%
+$17,476
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Subject Areas
Bachelor Degree · Education
+50.2%
$52,284 vs $34,808
Curriculum and Instruction
Master's Degree · Education
$69,935
$46,391
National Same-Field BA Median
+50.8%
+$23,544
Curriculum and Instruction
Master's Degree · Education
+50.8%
$69,935 vs $46,391
Accounting and Related Services
Master's Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
$92,442
$60,112
National BA Median
+53.8%
+$32,330
Accounting and Related Services
Master's Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+53.8%
$92,442 vs $60,112
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Program
Median debt
Median earnings
Debt burden
Special Education and Teaching
Bachelor Degree · Education
$18,708
$52,090
36%
Special Education and Teaching
Bachelor Degree · Education
$18,708 debt · $52,090 earn
Education General
Bachelor Degree · Education
$16,196
$49,646
33%
Education General
Bachelor Degree · Education
$16,196 debt · $49,646 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Subject Areas
Bachelor Degree · Education
$16,193
$52,284
31%
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Subject Areas
Bachelor Degree · Education
$16,193 debt · $52,284 earn
Education General
Master's Degree · Education
$12,393
$56,657
22%
Education General
Master's Degree · Education
$12,393 debt · $56,657 earn
Medical Illustration and Informatics
Bachelor Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
$18,916
$89,625
21%
Medical Illustration and Informatics
Bachelor Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
$18,916 debt · $89,625 earn
Accounting and Related Services
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
$15,637
$75,767
21%
Accounting and Related Services
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
$15,637 debt · $75,767 earn
Marketing
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
$13,999
$71,431
20%
Marketing
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
$13,999 debt · $71,431 earn
General Sales Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
$21,070
$107,585
20%
General Sales Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
$21,070 debt · $107,585 earn
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Accredited since 2003Next review Oct 2030
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor
Distance Education Accrediting Commission
Accredited since 2001Next review Dec 2012
Programmatic accreditations · 5
Action history · 7
- Feb 2025Loss of Accreditation or Preaccreditation: LapseNational League for Nursing, Commission for Nurse Education Accreditation · Nursing - Master’s degree
- Feb 2025Loss of Accreditation or Preaccreditation: LapseNational League for Nursing, Commission for Nurse Education Accreditation · Nursing - Bachelor’s degree
- Apr 2024Renewal of AccreditationCommission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
- Apr 2024Renewal of AccreditationCommission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the graduate degree levels
- Mar 2024Renewal of AccreditationNorthwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Aid exceeds costFamily pays
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Avg net price (private)
$12,548
-$16,952vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs median $29,500
Federal loans
43.2%
In-state tuition
$8,658
Out-of-state
$8,658
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 96,232 students received $457.2M in Pell grants, alongside $830.3M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients
96,232
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$457.2M
$457,244,924 total
Direct Loans
$830.3M
163,708 loan awards
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
48k’20
50k’21
60k’22
79k’23
96k’24
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Subsidized$209.0M
68,218 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$298.3M
63,385 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$320.7M
31,810 loan awards
Parent PLUS$508K
115 loan awards
Grad PLUS$1.8M
180 loan awards
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 31,873 borrowers who entered repayment, 253 (0.7%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate
0.7%
-1.6pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
31,873
Defaulted
253
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard
Default rate vs national, by cohort
2016
4.2%-5.1
2017
4.1%-5.1
2018
3.0%-4.0
2019
0.7%-1.6
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at Western Governors
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Distinct CIP programs55
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered
Top program families by completions
59,290 total completions
01Education
19,24932.5%
01Education
19,24932.5%
02Business
15,62926.4%
02Business
15,62926.4%
03Health Professions
12,80921.6%
03Health Professions
12,80921.6%
04Computer Sciences
10,32717.4%
04Computer Sciences
10,32717.4%
05Engineering
8881.5%
05Engineering
8881.5%
06Engineering Tech
2340.4%
06Engineering Tech
2340.4%
07Multi/Interdisciplinary
1250.2%
07Multi/Interdisciplinary
1250.2%
08Visual/Performing Arts
290.0%
08Visual/Performing Arts
290.0%
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Fall total
210,208
12-mo unduplicated
313,774
Undergraduate
225,309
Graduate
88,465
Gender split
Men
41%128,965
Women
59%184,809
Race / ethnicity composition
White
50.4%
Hispanic
15.6%
Black
14.3%
Unknown
10.1%
Asian
4.3%
Two or more
3.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native
1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.5%
Non-resident
0.0%
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.00
0 offenses · 185,015 students
3-year trend
0.002 yrs ago0.001 yr ago0.00Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
0
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
0
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0
Criminal offenses by type
No criminal offenses reported.
By location
0total
VAWA offenses
0
Domestic violence
0
Dating violence
0
Stalking
0 total under the Violence Against Women Act.
Hate crimes by bias
No hate crimes reported.
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons00
Drugs00
Liquor00
Residence-hall fires
No residence-hall fires reported.
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
Student-to-faculty
42.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
3,576
Western Governors vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions Western Governors selected for federal comparison reporting.
This institutionPeer median
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectWestern Governors University | 46% | — | 210,208 | $12,548 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
| 63% | 94.3% | 9,951 | $29,500 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 71% | 64.7% | 1,635 | $29,580 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 44% | 99.5% | 189,531 | $36,708 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 29% | — | 41,961 | — | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 50% | 54.5% | 22,115 | $22,878 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| Peer group median | 48% | 79.5% | 32,038 | $29,500 |
Institutions like Western Governors
Explore the federal data for institutions in Western Governors's comparison group.
- Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsColorado
Colorado Christian University
Grad rate63%Admit rate94.3%Enrollment9,951Net price$29,500View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsIdaho
Northwest Nazarene University
Grad rate71%Admit rate64.7%Enrollment1,635Net price$29,580View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsNew Hampshire
Southern New Hampshire University
Grad rate44%Admit rate99.5%Enrollment189,531Net price$36,708View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsCalifornia
University of the People
Grad rate29%Admit rate—Enrollment41,961Net price—View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsCalifornia
National University
Grad rate50%Admit rate54.5%Enrollment22,115Net price$22,878View data
Frequently asked questions about Western Governors University
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Western Governors.
What is the graduation rate at Western Governors University?
Western Governors University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 46% per the latest IPEDS.
How many students attend Western Governors University?
Western Governors University reports a total enrollment of 210,208 students per the latest IPEDS.
What is the average net price at Western Governors University?
The average net price at Western Governors University is $12,548 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.
Where is Western Governors University located?
Western Governors University is located in Salt Lake City, Utah 84107.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →
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