Winston-Salem, NC · 5.5k students
Trajecta score
+4.8 since '20Ranked #65 of 2,375
5-year trend
68.9 · #86
2020
71.3 · #92
2021
71.0 · #86
2022
74.1 · #71
2023
73.7 · #78
2024
Academic Profile
82/ 100
Career Outcomes
81/ 100
Student Success
83/ 100
Affordability
52/ 100
Academic Investment
92/ 100
Access & Equity
41/ 100
Academic Profile
82
Career Outcomes
81
Student Success
83
Affordability
52
Academic Investment
92
Access & Equity
41
AI Fit Analysis
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Cost / Net Price
$87k / $29k
SAT Avg
1,475
Retention
93%
Grad Rate
90%
Admissions
Test Scores
Scores represent the midpoint of enrolled students, not a cutoff.
Finances
Tuition
In-State Tuition
$67,642
per year
Out-of-State Tuition
$67,642
per year
Aid & Debt
Pell Grant Share
10%
undergraduates receiving Pell
Federal Loan Share
14%
students borrowing
Median Debt
among completers
$21,500
Admissions Factors
Self-reported by the school in its Common Data Set (section C7) — the school's own statement of which application factors matter in its admissions decisions.
Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025, what Wake Forest University reports weighing in admissions.
| Factor | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigor of secondary school record | Rigor of secondary school record: Very Important | |||
| Class rank | Class rank: Very Important | |||
| Academic GPA | Academic GPA: Very Important | |||
| Standardized test scores | Standardized test scores: Considered | |||
| Application essay | Application essay: Very Important | |||
| Recommendation(s) | Recommendation(s): Important | |||
| Interview | Interview: Important | |||
| Extracurricular activities | Extracurricular activities: Important | |||
| Talent/ability | Talent/ability: Important | |||
| Character/personal qualities | Character/personal qualities: Very Important | |||
| First generation | First generation: Considered | |||
| Alumni/ae relation | Alumni/ae relation: Considered | |||
| Geographical residence | Geographical residence: Considered | |||
| State residency | State residency: Considered | |||
| Religious affiliation/commitment | Religious affiliation/commitment: Considered | |||
| Volunteer work | Volunteer work: Considered | |||
| Work experience | Work experience: Considered | |||
| Level of applicant's interest | Level of applicant's interest: Considered |
Supplemental Essays · 2025-26
school's admissions site ↗In Brief: Five books
OptionalNo stated limitList five books you’ve read that intrigued you.
In Brief: Intellectual curiosity
Optional150 wordsTell us what piques your intellectual curiosity or has helped you understand the world’s complexity. This can include a work you’ve read, a project you’ve completed for a class, and even co-curricular activities in which you have been involved.
In Brief: Maya Angelou quote
Optional300 wordsDr. Maya Angelou, renowned author, poet, civil-rights activist, and former Wake Forest University Reynolds Professor of American Studies, inspired others to celebrate their identities and to honor each person’s dignity. Choose one of Dr. Angelou’s powerful quotes. How does this quote relate to your lived experience or reflect how you plan to contribute to the Wake Forest community?
In Brief: Top Ten list
Optionalstudent chooses a theme and lists ten items; no word limit specifiedGive us your Top Ten list.
Drafting these? Write them with AI feedback in Trajecta →
Methodology
The Trajecta Score (0–100) blends six dimensions of public college data into one comparable number, then nudges it by how much data each school reports. Selectivity tiers are separate — they’re based purely on a school’s admission rate.
Read the full methodologyMedian earnings 10 years out, earnings vs. a high-school grad, and loan repayment.
Admission selectivity and the incoming class’s SAT / ACT scores.
Average net price after aid and the typical debt of graduates.
Graduation rate and first-year retention.
Instructional spending and faculty salaries per student.
Share of Pell-grant students and reliance on federal loans.
Data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and IPEDS. Figures are the most recent reported and may lag a year or two. This tool is read-only and not personalized — inside the Trajecta app, scores are tailored to your profile as a fit score.
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