Western Governors University
Western Governors University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Western Governors University Featured Rankings
- #1 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in Utah
- #2 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in Wyoming
- #2 Best Private Colleges in Utah
- #3 Fastest Accelerated Masters in Education
- #4 Best Online MBAs Utah
- #4 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Utah
- #5 Accelerated Online Bachelor's of Accounting
- #6 Accelerated Online Bachelor's of Healthcare Administration
- #7 Utah's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #7 Online Colleges with Great Financial Aid
- #7 Utah's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #7 15 Best Self-paced Online Colleges
- #7 Best Colleges in Utah
- #7 Most Affordable Colleges in Utah
- #8 Accelerated Online Bachelor's of Information Technology
- #17 20 Fastest Online Bachelor's of Nursing Degree Programs
- #26 Most Affordable Graduate Schools
About Western Governors University
According to Wikipedia, Western Governors University is a private, non-profit, online university based in Millcreek, Utah. The university uses an online competency-based learning model, providing advanced education for working professionals. Degrees awarded by WGU are accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities . The university was founded by 19 U.S. governors in 1997 after the idea was formulated at a 1995 meeting of the Western Governors Association to expand education offerings to the internet.
Western Governors University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Retention Rate | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| 65% | 50% |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Western Governors University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $8,730 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $12,005 |
| 30K - 48K | $12,500 |
| 48K - 75K | $12,611 |
| 75K - 110K | $13,872 |
| 110K+ | $16,397 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Western Governors University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Western Governors University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $76,999 a year, and 91% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Western Governors University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 282,150 | 201,091 | 81,059 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Western Governors University?
Western Governors University is located at 4001 South 700 East Suite 700, Salt Lake City, UT 84107.
How Safe is Western Governors University?
Relative to its enrollment, Western Governors University has a violent crime rate of less than 0.01% and a property crime rate of less than 0.01%. Salt Lake City has a violent crime rate of 0.88% and a property crime rate of 5.26%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Western Governors University Known For?
Western Governors University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
Western Governors University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Western Governors University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Western Governors University ranks #388 in the U.S. and #1780 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesWestern Governors University ranks #396 in the U.S. and #1060 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesWestern Governors University ranks #578 in the U.S. and #2149 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesWestern Governors University ranks #697 in the U.S. and #2987 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesWestern Governors University ranks #821 in the U.S. and #2896 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesWestern Governors University ranks #917 in the U.S. and #4998 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering Degrees