Western Governors University
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
Graduation rate: 50.4% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of the normal time (CollegesRef 2026–27 edition). 64.6% return for a second year. Median earnings: $76,999 a year for former students who received federal aid, ten years after they started college.
Source: U.S. College Scorecard, latest data
Western Governors University has 31 programs with reported graduate earnings. The highest is Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (master's), where graduates earn a median $144,205 four years after finishing, against $106,831 for the same field nationally.
Federal data from IPEDS and the U.S. College Scorecard, not student reviews.
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
First-year retention
Students who return for a second year
Transfer-out rate
First-time, full-time students who transferred to another college
Median earnings
$76,999
Former students who received federal aid
What Western Governors University graduates earn against what they borrow and what the degree costs after grants.
| Latest official data | This college | Similar colleges |
|---|---|---|
| Median earningsFormer students, 10 years after startingSource: U.S. College Scorecard, latest data | $76,999 | $59,897 |
| Typical federal debtGraduates who borrowed; about $142 a month on a 10-year planSource: U.S. College Scorecard, latest data | $12,500 | $23,250 |
| Years to pay back4 years of average net price ($12,748 a year), paid with 10% of median earningsSource: U.S. College Scorecard, latest data | 6.6 years | 16 years |
Similar colleges: the median of 929 private nonprofit four-year colleges nationwide with the same figures reported. Payback is illustrative: it ignores interest, taxes and living costs, and earnings vary by major. Check a loan payment against earnings.
Source: U.S. College Scorecard, field of study, latest data
Median earnings of graduates who received federal aid, one and four years after finishing, and the median federal loan debt they borrowed at Western Governors University. The field median is the middle value for the same field and credential across every college that reports it. 27 more programs have too few graduates for earnings to be published.
Highest-earning programs
| Program | Graduates | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | Field median | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 210 | $93,757 | $131,198 | $59,768120% above | $18,119 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 2,736 | $97,728 | $129,303 | $80,32261% above | $14,104 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 984 | $85,048 | $108,836 | $85,00028% above | $15,036 |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | 0 | N/A | $107,585 | $75,17743% above | N/A |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 5,885 | $91,037 | $97,114 | $86,02013% above | $10,737 |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | Not available | N/A | $89,625 | $67,13434% above | N/A |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 747 | $86,834 | N/A | $63,12738% above | $11,376 |
| Computer Science | 1,096 | $86,272 | N/A | $73,88317% above | $11,509 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 2,685 | $70,584 | $83,654 | $64,59030% above | $17,299 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 1,078 | $68,018 | $82,644 | $58,51841% above | $15,809 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 1,310 | $62,743 | $75,767 | $73,0544% above | $15,102 |
| Marketing | 581 | $59,001 | $71,431 | $66,5427% above | $14,249 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 35 | $70,421 | N/A | $40,17875% above | N/A |
| Human Resources Management and Services | 796 | $63,341 | N/A | $55,75914% above | $11,664 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 279 | $48,541 | $52,284 | $50,8273% above | $16,967 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 604 | $47,786 | $52,090 | $51,2582% above | $16,288 |
| Education, General | Not available | $43,747 | $49,646 | $49,2391% above | $12,870 |
| Program | Graduates | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | Field median | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 1,484 | $119,532 | $144,205 | $106,83135% above | $10,106 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 578 | $100,883 | $129,737 | $119,8408% above | $13,476 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 838 | $108,389 | $125,944 | $97,63229% above | $12,839 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 1,910 | $105,611 | $111,688 | $120,3387% below | $17,322 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 1,945 | $100,359 | $111,643 | $89,92824% above | $17,218 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 4,712 | $89,182 | $98,950 | $95,1274% above | $13,816 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 396 | $78,816 | $92,442 | $93,2281% below | $13,605 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 623 | $73,981 | $84,521 | $69,94421% above | $15,070 |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 337 | $67,436 | $72,564 | $63,61114% above | $9,914 |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 1,655 | $64,860 | $71,469 | $70,1662% above | $10,324 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 5,296 | $62,983 | $69,935 | $60,80715% above | $7,812 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 1,428 | $61,461 | $65,801 | $62,4505% above | $11,931 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 294 | $60,204 | $63,218 | $63,0580% above | $15,301 |
| Education, General | Not available | $54,354 | $56,657 | $63,75411% below | $16,220 |
Careers linked to the programs Western Governors University reports, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for the whole occupation, not for this college's graduates.
Healthcare practitioners
Master's degree
Via Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Management
Bachelor's degree
Via Business Administration, Management and Operations, Finance and Financial Management Services
Management
Bachelor's degree
Via Business Administration, Management and Operations, Finance and Financial Management Services
Management
Bachelor's degree
Via Computer and Information Sciences, General, Computer Science and 5 more
Science
Doctoral or professional degree
Via Public Health
Management
Bachelor's degree
Via Computer Engineering, Business Administration, Management and Operations
Every field of study, with the colleges that offer it and what graduates earn.
Programs A–ZVerified facts
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