WCU Stories      February 16, 2023

By Julia Duvall

For Western Carolina University faculty and staff, it is no secret that the university located in the picturesque mountains of Western North Carolina is not only a great school with unlimited outdoor adventures and high-quality academics, but a great place to work as well.

Now the rest of the nation will know about Cullowhee and why WCU was chosen as one of America’s best midsize employers for 2023 by Forbes.

WCU has been ranked in the top 20% coming in at number 97 out of 500 organizations.

“This ranking is a true testament of the remarkable talent and dedication of WCU’s faculty and staff,” Chancellor Kelli R. Brown said. “These hardworking professionals have a positive impact on our students and our region, throughout North Carolina and beyond, each and every day. And to be one of only two North Carolina employers represented in the top 100 is an incredible achievement. I couldn’t be prouder of the faculty and staff who are essential to making Western the wonderful university it is.”

More than 45,000 employees were surveyed at companies and institutions around the U.S. that have 1,000 to 5,000 employees. Participants were asked on a scale from 0-10 if they would recommend their current employer to friends and family, and to include any other organization they would also recommend.

WCU has nearly 1,600 employees at its Cullowhee campus, Biltmore Park instructional site in Asheville and through its distance learning programs.

The 500 organizations listed received the most recommendations from the survey responses and were gathered from nine different industries including education, health care and government services.