Western Governors University awards 50,168 degrees during 2024 academic year (2024)

Crystal Pickering aged out of foster care at age 18 and faced multiple barriers to reaching typical teenage milestones such as graduating from high school, let alone attempting college or earning a degree.

“In the middle of my senior year of high school, I was on my own. I got a full-time job at Taco Bell while taking public transportation to school, so I could pay my rent. I faced multiple challenges,” she said.

Pickering got pregnant and married at age 20. Her then-husband was in the military, which took them to Louisiana and Alaska. They divorced and she returned to Washington state with two kids in tow.

She resumed attending church and decided to join a dating site for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where she met her current husband.

“As things got serious and my lease was up, I moved down here,” she said.

For a while, she was a stay-at-home mom and ran a business.

“I have always known that I wanted to do something bigger with my life than just repeat the cycles that I grew up watching over and over and over again and still see,” she said.

With her husband’s encouragement, she earned a bachelor’s degree from Utah Valley University in information technology management.

Next, the mother of five, with the support and backing of family, built on that accomplishment, recently earning a Master of Science degree in information technology management in March from Western Governors University.

Pickering’s personal accomplishment dovetails a major milestone for WGU, the national online, nonprofit university. She was among 49,564 Western Governors University students who earned a record 50,168 bachelor’s or master’s degrees during the 2024 academic year from the national online, nonprofit university established in 1997.

Two-thirds of the graduates were from one or more underserved populations — students of color, first generation, rural or low income.

While each of those graduates has had their own journey, Pickering said they share a common bond: “It’s 50,000 people whose lives will never be the same. They have given themselves the opportunity to to further their career aspirations and their goals and change the course of their family’s lives,” said Pickering, who earned her master’s degree while working full time for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Tabernacle Choir, where she is its technical program manager.

“In fact, I was finishing my capstone paper in the Philippines while they were on tour,” she said.

While she had already earned a bachelor’s degree, earning her master’s degree showed her children the value of education and how it can change the trajectory of an individual’s life.

“That’s one of the main reasons why I did it, was to show my kids it’s never too late,” she said.

Western Governors University awards 50,168 degrees during 2024 academic year (1)

WGU President Scott Pulsipher said the university is “reinvigorating the pathway to opportunity and having an impact at scale.”

The university’s educational model, which is student-centric and personalized, “works,” he said.

“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.”

One of WGU’s defining characteristics is that it offers degrees in four key areas: business, education, information technology and health professions, including nursing. There is high demand for skilled workers in each of those disciplines.

According to WGU, the university confers 5.2% of the bachelor’s degrees in education nationally, which leads United States colleges and universities.

It also awards 5.5% of all bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing nationally and its cybersecurity program is now the largest in the country.

Western Governors University awards 50,168 degrees during 2024 academic year (2)

Joe Fuller, chairman of WGU’s Board of Trustees, in a statement said that Western Governors University, since its inception, has “worked to create an engine of economic mobility that accommodates everyone, especially those traditionally left behind by higher education.”

Fuller, a distinguished management professor at Harvard Business School and co-director of the school’s Managing the Future of Work project, added, “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 offers more than 80 certificate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in business, education, health and technology fields in all 50 states.

“We are helping our students live their best possible lives, on a personal and a professional level,” Pulsipher said, “and 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.”

Pickering said WGU gave her the flexibility to work full time and have meaningful time with her family.

“There’s certain seasons of my life and certain times of the year where I have a lot more flexibility, and, you know, I can focus more. But during the holidays, I could pull back and not stress about finals and making sure I’m going to four classes. I was able to ebb and flow with my schedule,” she said.

WGU currently serves nearly 176,000 students, which includes the addition of more than 126,000 new students over the past fiscal year — up nearly 30% over the previous year.

With its current rate of growth, Pulsipher said “it’s very likely that WGU will be the first institution with more than a million living alumni.” WGU currently has more than 340,000 alumni.

It’s doubtful that the founding governors of Western Governors University, among them former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt, Colorado Gov. Roy Romer and Wyoming Gov. Jim Geringer, “ever expected WGU’S impact to be so big and meaningful,” he said.

“I think one of the most important things is, it should be telling everyone that the measure of quality in higher education should not be on the basis of how few you admit. It should probably be focused on how many lives have been able to be changed because of it,” Pulsipher said.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated Pickering’s age when she got married.

Western Governors University awards 50,168 degrees during 2024 academic year (2024)

FAQs

What is the average time to graduate from WGU? ›

The average time it takes to graduate from WGU Texas is about 2.5 years for a bachelor's degree, which costs about $15,000. By contrast, to complete the 120 credits that are usually needed to earn a bachelor's degree, students usually spend at least four years in college. The national average is over 5 years.

What is the graduation rate for Western Governors University? ›

The university offers 31 bachelor's degrees, has an average graduation rate of 64%, and a student-faculty ratio of 42:1. Tuition and fees for students are $7,162.

What is the acceptance rate for Western Governors University? ›

Western Governors University has an acceptance rate of around 100%. As such, all applicants who meet the school's admission requirements are accepted at WGU.

What is a passing grade at Western Governors University? ›

Pass: Certifies successful completion of a course of study. A student has demonstrated required competencies by passing all required assessments with a grade equivalent of B or better or 3.00 grade points on a 4.00 scale.

Is a degree from WGU respected? ›

Yes! WGU is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the highest form of accreditation.

How fast can you get a bachelor's degree at WGU? ›

The average time to complete a bachelor's degree with WGU is 2.5 years*, proving that WGU students are motivated and use the opportunity to control their speed to graduation.

What is WGU ranked in 2024? ›

Western Governors University: Rankings

Western Governors University ranked 905th in the United States, 3479th in the global 2024 rating, and scored in 32 research topics.

Is Western Governors University a degree mill? ›

Western Governors University (WGU) is certainly not a diploma mill. It is an accredited and reputable online university that offers bachelor's and master's degree programs.

Is Western Governor university worth it? ›

Yes, Western Governors University (WGU) is a reputable and accredited online university that offers affordable and flexible degree programs.

What is Western Governors University known for? ›

As the most student-centric university in the world, WGU goes beyond convention to identify, develop, and implement programs, systems, and technologies that pave the path to opportunity for all. WGU is a university built for students.

What is Western Governors ranked? ›

Western Governors University Rankings
  • Best Colleges for Information Technology in America. 16 of 292.
  • Best Colleges for Nursing in America. 68 of 761.
  • Best Value Colleges in America. 81 of 1,462.
  • Best Colleges for Education in America. ...
  • Best Colleges for Accounting and Finance in America. ...
  • Best Colleges for Business in America.

Does WGU accept low GPA? ›

WGU does not require a minimum GPA or standardized test scores like the SAT or ACT for admission. However, during the application process, you'll need to complete an intake interview with an Enrollment Counselor to ensure that the program is a good fit for you and to assess your readiness for online learning.

Does WGU have honors? ›

The National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) is the largest honor society in the country with more than 700 chapters and 1.3+ million members. The WGU Chapter was founded in 2021 and only invites students that meet the membership criteria, which is based on academic progress (SAP).

What GPA does WGU give you? ›

This model reflects whether a student has mastered the material rather than assigning a specific GPA. When it comes to transferring, whether it's credits to another institution or pursuing a graduate program, WGU's pass grades are typically held equivalent to a 3.0 GPA.

Is Western Governors University fully accredited? ›

Western Governors University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), an institutional accreditation body of colleges and universities in a seven-state region that includes WGU's headquarters of Utah.

How fast can you finish WGU Academy? ›

The best part? You can complete your chosen course in less than 2 – 3 months, paving the way for a smooth transition to your WGU degree program. You'll embark on your bachelor's degree journey with confidence from day one.

How fast can you finish your masters at WGU? ›

Time: 60% of graduates can finish in 17 months. Tuition: $4,755 per 6-month term.

How fast can you finish a teaching degree at WGU? ›

Time: 68% of students finish this degree within 36 months. Tuition: $3,825 per 6-month term.

What is the success rate of WGU? ›

Graduation rate for WGU seems kind of high for an online school at over 50%.

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