Western Washington University
Public four-year university in Bellingham, WA that costs an average of $19,963 a year after financial aid, admits 93% of applicants and graduates 61% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$19,963
Acceptance rate
93%
Graduation rate
61%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$64,305
PublicSmall city13,544 undergraduates
Cost of Western Washington University
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $30,422 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $9,924 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $29,091 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $16,107 |
| Books and supplies | $1,224 |
| Average net price after aid | $19,963 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $12,600 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $13,630 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $16,218 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $21,324 |
| $110,001+ | $27,935 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships (in-state students). Get your own estimate with Western Washington University's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 93% |
|---|---|
| Average SAT | 1,289 |
| SAT reading (25th–75th percentile) | 590–710 |
| SAT math (25th–75th percentile) | 560–680 |
| ACT composite (25th–75th percentile) | 24–31 |
| Test scores | Considered but not required |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 61% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 79% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $48,278 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $64,305 |
| Rank in Washington (earnings) | 16th of 27 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $16,500 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $188 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 27% |
| Students with federal loans | 29% |
Majors and programs at Western Washington University
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (97)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical and Computer Engineering | 74 | $88,050 | $21,917 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 35 | $78,842 | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 241 | $77,318 | $18,106 |
| Manufacturing Engineering | 43 | $76,872 | — |
| Polymer/Plastics Engineering | 38 | $71,306 | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 44 | $67,474 | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 82 | $62,980 | $13,750 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 103 | $60,208 | $19,166 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 75 | $59,009 | $10,750 |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | 35 | $58,805 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 165 | $55,860 | $17,500 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 204 | $54,779 | $22,564 |
| Marketing | 210 | $51,804 | $15,000 |
| International Business | 49 | $51,687 | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 81 | $48,761 | $18,773 |
| Economics | 97 | $48,368 | $18,417 |
| Mathematics | 44 | $47,856 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 130 | $47,617 | $19,758 |
| Human Services | 160 | $45,482 | $12,500 |
| Chemistry | 82 | $44,473 | $12,000 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies | 108 | $44,036 | $15,257 |
| Physics | 36 | $43,443 | $20,500 |
| Design and Applied Arts | 89 | $42,687 | $19,500 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 73 | $41,857 | $20,074 |
| Political Science and Government | 173 | $40,393 | $16,444 |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 70 | $39,698 | $17,661 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 91 | $39,479 | $20,600 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 83 | $39,035 | $21,315 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 187 | $38,629 | $16,157 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 370 | $38,026 | $16,500 |
| Psychology | 474 | $37,945 | $15,833 |
| Journalism | 93 | $36,924 | $16,468 |
| Sociology | 220 | $36,383 | $16,051 |
| Sustainability Studies | 86 | $36,038 | $17,212 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | 76 | $35,925 | $19,500 |
| Biology | 103 | $35,827 | $20,580 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | 75 | $35,429 | $19,213 |
| Music | 41 | $35,348 | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 64 | $34,843 | $11,167 |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 35 | $33,875 | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 238 | $33,763 | $17,800 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | 148 | $33,714 | $15,000 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 71 | $33,532 | $18,916 |
| Anthropology | 101 | $33,099 | $13,541 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 37 | $32,467 | $13,268 |
| History | 157 | $32,434 | $13,368 |
| Philosophy | 34 | $32,031 | — |
| Archeology | 39 | $31,745 | — |
| English Language and Literature | 151 | $31,392 | $15,415 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 77 | $29,055 | $18,627 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 242 | $28,807 | $15,000 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 81 | $27,901 | $18,271 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 28 | $26,575 | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 148 | $26,311 | $14,350 |
| Accounting and Computer Science | — | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 25 | — | — |
| Area Studies | 23 | — | — |
| Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | 7 | — | — |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | — | — | — |
| Botany/Plant Biology | — | — | — |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | — | — | — |
| Business/Commerce | — | — | — |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | — | — | — |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | — | — | — |
| Criminology | — | — | — |
| Dance | 12 | — | — |
| Data Science | 22 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | — | — | — |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 20 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 39 | — | — |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences | — | — | — |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | — | — | — |
| Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other | — | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 12 | — | — |
| Geography and Environmental Studies | 38 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 12 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | — | — | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | — | — | — |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 19 | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 51 | — | $15,000 |
| Marine Sciences | 33 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | — | — | — |
| Public Health | 44 | — | — |
| Public Policy Analysis | — | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 9 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 16 | — | — |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Social Sciences | — | — | — |
| Social Sciences, Other | — | — | — |
| Statistics | 16 | — | — |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | — | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts | — | — | — |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | — | — | — |
Certificate programs (13)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | 6 | — | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 6 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | 9 | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 4 | — | — |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 4 | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 35 | — | — |
| Historic Preservation and Conservation | — | — | — |
| Natural Resources and Conservation, Other | — | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 2 | — | — |
| Outdoor Education | — | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 14 | — | — |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 18 | — | — |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | — | — | — |
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs (3)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Science | — | — | — |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | — | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | — | — | — |
Master's degree programs (35)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | 43 | $116,543 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 53 | $97,561 | — |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 27 | $74,547 | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 35 | $72,157 | $41,000 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 50 | $69,594 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 119 | $69,079 | $30,872 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 10 | — | — |
| Anthropology | 11 | — | — |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | — | — | — |
| Biology | 18 | — | — |
| Business/Commerce | — | — | — |
| Chemistry | 24 | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | — | — | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | — | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | — | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 30 | — | — |
| Electrical and Computer Engineering | — | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 12 | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | — | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 25 | — | — |
| History | 12 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 20 | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 11 | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | — | — | — |
| Music | 8 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | — | — | — |
| Psychology | — | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 8 | — | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 9 | — | — |
| Sociology | — | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | — | — | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 11 | — | — |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 12 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | — | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts | — | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (2)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | — | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 15 | — | — |
Professional degree programs (1)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 14 | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (7)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Educational Administration and Supervision | — | $146,466 | — |
| Data Science | 12 | — | — |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 8 | — | — |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | — | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 8 | — | — |
| Historic Preservation and Conservation | — | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
Similar colleges in Washington
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington State University | Pullman | $13,462 | 87% | $72,280 |
| Central Washington University | Ellensburg | $21,201 | 91% | $65,578 |
| Eastern Washington University | Cheney | $13,647 | 91% | $62,463 |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | Seattle | $13,663 | 39% | $83,105 |
| University of Washington-Bothell Campus | Bothell | $13,802 | 91% | $83,105 |
| University of Washington-Tacoma Campus | Tacoma | $11,900 | 83% | $83,105 |
| The Evergreen State College | Olympia | $25,154 | 96% | $48,982 |
About Western Washington University
| Type | Public four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | Bellingham, WA |
| Setting | Small city |
| Undergraduates | 13,544 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 18 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities |
| Website | wwu.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is Western Washington University's acceptance rate?
Western Washington University admits 93% of applicants. Admitted students average 1,289 on the SAT.
How much does Western Washington University cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $30,422 a year (tuition and fees: $9,924 in-state, $29,091 out-of-state). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $19,963 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $12,600.
How much do Western Washington University graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $64,305 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 16th of 27 similar colleges in Washington. The best-paid bachelor's program is electrical and computer engineering ($88,050 a year after graduation).
What is Western Washington University's graduation rate?
61% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 79% of first-year students return for a second year.