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The real 4-year cost of Wake Forest University in North Carolina
Over the 18 years from 2008 to 2026, published tuition and required fees at Wake Forest University went from $36,975 to $73,044, an average of 4.0% a year. The 2026–27 figure is the school's own announced rate.
2026–27 rate announced: $73,044Tuition only for 2026-27; fees of $1,276 listed separately in the cost of attendance.source
2008–2030: history and projection
| Year | Published | Projected estimate | Estimate range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $36,975 | – | – |
| 2009 | $38,622 | – | – |
| 2010 | $39,970 | – | – |
| 2011 | $41,576 | – | – |
| 2012 | $43,200 | – | – |
| 2013 | $44,742 | – | – |
| 2014 | $46,200 | – | – |
| 2015 | $47,682 | – | – |
| 2016 | $49,308 | – | – |
| 2017 | $51,400 | – | – |
| 2018 | $53,322 | – | – |
| 2019 | $55,440 | – | – |
| 2020 | $57,760 | – | – |
| 2021 | $59,770 | – | – |
| 2022 | $62,128 | – | – |
| 2023 | $64,758 | – | – |
| 2026 | $73,044 | $73,044 | – |
| 2027 | – | $75,931 | $75,661–$76,202 |
| 2028 | – | $78,933 | $78,371–$79,497 |
| 2029 | – | $82,053 | $81,179–$82,934 |
| 2030 | – | $85,297 | $84,087–$86,520 |
If you pay full sticker
Projected tuition + fees, entering fall 2026.
| Year 1 | $73,044 |
| Year 2 | $75,931 |
| Year 3 | $78,933 |
| Year 4 | $82,053 |
| 4-year total | $309,962 |
Two aid scenarios
4-year out-of-pocket total.
- $10,000/yr flat scholarship
- $269,962
- Flat aid doesn't grow, so it covers less each year.
- 50%-of-tuition scholarship
- $157,421
- Percentage aid keeps pace with tuition.
On-campus housing & meals
Room & board (housing plus the standard meal plan), on top of tuition.
- Announced 2026–27
- $20,296/ yr
- rising 4.1% / yr
- Projected 4-year add-on
- $86,361
School’s own published rateHousing $12,900 + food $7,396.source
Books & supplies typically add ~$1,200 a year (national median, not included).
Housing here is rising faster than tuition.
Run your own numbers
Enter your actual scholarship offer to see your real 4-year total.
See my 4-year cost at Wake Forest University4-year schools with similar prices in North Carolina
Closest to Wake Forest University by published tuition and fees. Similar sticker prices can still compound very differently.
- Davidson College$73,630
- Duke University$76,095
- Elon University$51,368
- High Point University$44,208
- Meredith College$43,936
- Queens University of Charlotte$42,790
- Wingate University$41,731
- Guilford College$41,140
Use this data
Published figures for Wake Forest University from federal IPEDS data through 2023, free to download or embed with attribution. The embed stays current as the data updates.