Student Experience
WGU Is Focused on Student and Graduate Success
Your Success Is Our Goal
When choosing a university, it's important to know that you'll learn the things you need to know to be successful in your career. We are focused on your learning and your ultimate success—we believe those two elements go hand in hand. We have a large network of students and graduates who are demonstrating this very success in their careers and daily lives. It's valuable for you to see how a WGU degree is changing their lives and impacting their futures as you get started on your own education journey.
Nation of Night Owls: 129,640 Students
A Global Network of 240,164 Graduates
High Student Engagement at WGU
NSSE is a national survey that measures student engagement. In 2020, the NSSE polled 484,242 students from 601 institutions (531 in the U.S., 65 in Canada, and five in other countries)—including more traditional online and brick-and-mortar schools—asking them to rate their experiences. Students gave WGU the highest scores possible, at levels well above the national average, in the following areas:
65% of WGU student rated the quality of their interactions with faculty a 7 on a 7-point scale. That's 41 percentage points higher than the national average!
"How would you evaluate your entire educational experience at this institution?" More than 70% of WGU students said it was "excellent"—36 percentage points higher than the national average.
47% of WGU students said their experience has contributed "very much" to their knowledge and skills—27 points higher than the national average!
79% of WGU students said they would definitely choose WGU if they were to start again. That 40 points higher than the national average!
When it comes to helping students succeed academically, 65% of WGU students said WGU "very much" emphasized providing support—41 points higher than the national average.
Happy Grads=Happy Employers
WGU graduates boast degrees that prepare them to succeed in their careers. The data below, from a 2020 survey of 300 employers of WGU graduates by Harris Poll, prove it:
Beyond expectations.
98% of employers said WGU graduates met or exceeded expectations.
Top candidates.
96% said they would hire another WGU graduate.
Prepared for the job.
95% said that their WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs.
Graduates Reports Strong Satisfaction and Salary Outcomes
WGU graduates are happy with their education:
- 96% of WGU graduates reported that they would recommend WGU to others, compared with 82% nationally.
- 85% of WGU graduates were satisfied with their overall experience, compared with 75% nationally.
Impressive average salary increases:
- WGU graduates reported an average increase on income of $12,300 within two years of graduation, compared with salary pre-enrollment.
- Four years after graduation, the average increase was $21,800, significantly higher than the national average of $11,500.
Source: 2020 Harris Poll survey of 1,400 new college graduates nationwide compared with survey of 1,340 WGU graduates.
WGU Grads Hold Positions with Top Employers
View Our Colleges and Find Degrees
All of our degree programs are carefully chosen with employment and success in mind. Our special model of online learning is designed for the working adult, and our commitment to keep costs down means better ROI for our graduates.
