Western Governors University (WGU) celebrated a historic milestone in fiscal year 2024 by conferring 50,168 degrees to 49,564 individuals. This achievement marks a significant moment for the national online, nonprofit university. Notably, 67% of these graduates belong to underserved populations, including students of color, first-generation, rural, or low-income students. This highlights WGU’s commitment to enhancing the economic and social mobility of its students.
WGU President Scott Pulsipher expressed his enthusiasm, stating, ‘We are reinvigorating the pathway to opportunity and having an impact at scale. WGU’s educational model, which is student-centric and personalized, works. We are positioning our graduates to start and advance careers in high-demand fields, meeting workforce needs and strengthening the vitality of their families and communities.’
With over 80 certificate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs in business, education, health, and technology fields, WGU serves students in all 50 states. The university is among the largest in the country and focuses on providing accessible, affordable, flexible programs that address critical workforce needs.
WGU’s commitment to education is evident in its impressive graduation rates. According to recent federal data, WGU leads all higher education institutions in the United States in graduating teachers, conferring 5.2% of the bachelor’s degrees in education nationally. Additionally, the university has a significant impact on the healthcare field, awarding 5.5% of all bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing. WGU’s cybersecurity program has also become the largest in the country, addressing the critical workforce need in this area.
Joe Fuller, Chair of WGU’s Board of Trustees, praised the university’s efforts to create economic mobility for all individuals, especially those traditionally left behind by higher education. He stated, ‘It is now doing this at a scale no other institution matches, putting students from all backgrounds, circumstances, and experiences on a trajectory for a better life. This is exactly the kind of momentum we need to energize our workforce and our communities.’
WGU students experience a strong return on their investment, paying less for their education and having lower debt at graduation. On average, they see a $30,000 income boost within four years of receiving their degree. A Gallup report from 2023 revealed that WGU alumni surveyed were twice as likely to say their education was worth the cost compared to graduates nationally. Additionally, alumni reported lower debt at graduation and higher levels of thriving in their lives, surpassing the national average for college graduates by approximately 25 points.
Employers also hold WGU graduates in high regard. In a 2023 Harris Employer Survey, 98% of participating employers stated that the WGU graduates they hired met or exceeded expectations.
President Pulsipher emphasized the impact of WGU’s education on students’ personal and professional lives, stating, ‘We are helping our students live their best possible lives, on a personal and a professional level. This has generational impacts that ripple into the future. We also are providing employers with the highly skilled, work-ready, and diverse talent desperately needed to maintain America’s prosperity and its competitive edge.’
Since its establishment in 1997, WGU has grown to become a leading influence in changing the lives of individuals and families. The university has awarded over 380,000 degrees to more than 340,000 graduates in all 50 states. WGU continues to scale its operations, serving nearly 176,000 students, including the addition of more than 126,000 new students over the past fiscal year, representing a 28.2% increase from the previous year.
About Western Governors University (WGU):
WGU is a nonprofit, online university founded in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education. The university now serves nearly 176,000 students nationwide and has been recognized as a model that works in postsecondary education. Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, WGU has been named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies and has received media coverage from NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and The New York Times. For more information, visit wgu.edu and wgu.edu/impact.