Washington Adventist University
Takoma Park, MD · Private · Large suburb · WAU
Private institution in Takoma Park, MD · 522 undergraduates · 45% acceptance rate · $64,249 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 7%Student-faculty ratio
- Top 14%Acceptance rate
- Top 20%Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- Top 23%Pell Grant share
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $15,026682nd cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $25,2001,226th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $25,2001,073rd cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $34,5701,089th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $30,5001,813th lowest of 1,865 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $64,249397th highest of 1,954 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $40,1141,215th highest of 1,950 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 40.0%1,507th highest of 2,014 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 82.1%560th highest of 1,837 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 45.4%222nd most selective of 1,596 reporting
- Average SAT
- 9201,000th highest of 1,022 reporting
- Median ACT
- —
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 5221,673rd largest of 2,144 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 7.0:1144th smallest of 2,141 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 46.1%490th highest of 2,122 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 10 mi (DCA)
On 1 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Applying
- Common App member
- Yes
- Application fee
- Free
- Personal essay
- Optional / not required
- Writing supplement
- No
Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 39 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness | bachelors | — | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsHealth Professions | bachelors | — | — |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting ServicesHealth Professions | bachelors | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular BiologyBiological Sciences | bachelors | — | — |
| Biology, GeneralBiological Sciences | bachelors | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness | bachelors | — | — |
| Business Operations Support and Assistant ServicesBusiness | bachelors | — | — |
| ChemistryPhysical Sciences | bachelors | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied PsychologyPsychology | bachelors | — | — |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsHealth Professions | bachelors | — | — |
| Communication and Media StudiesCommunications | bachelors | — | — |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, OtherCommunications | bachelors | — | — |
Campus facts
- Religious affiliation: Seventh Day Adventistssource
- Founded in 1904source
- Athletic nickname: "Shock"source
- Competes in National Association of Intercollegiate Athleticssource
- School colors: #103459 and #F26722source
- Motto: "Gateway to Service"source
- Formerly known as "Washington Training College" (1904–1907)source
- Formerly known as "Washington Foreign Mission Seminary" (1907–1914)source
- Formerly known as "Washington Missionary College" (1914–1961)source
- Formerly known as "Columbia Union College" (1961–2009)source
- Athletic conference: NAIAsource
Athletics — 5 sports
NAIA Division I · NAIA
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $654,832 (M $373,319 · W $231,246 · Coed $50,267)
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Similar-size colleges
Nearest undergraduate enrollment to Washington Adventist University’s 522 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.
In MD
- St. John's CollegeAnnapolis, MD · 488 undergrads
- SANS Technology InstituteNorth Bethesda, MD · 643 undergrads
- Notre Dame of Maryland UniversityBaltimore, MD · 684 undergrads
- Ner Israel Rabbinical CollegeBaltimore, MD · 292 undergrads
- Capitol Technology UniversityLaurel, MD · 259 undergrads
- Washington CollegeChestertown, MD · 890 undergrads
Elsewhere
- Eureka CollegeEureka, IL · 522 undergrads
- Baptist Health System School of Health ProfessionsSan Antonio, TX · 524 undergrads
- Randolph CollegeLynchburg, VA · 520 undergrads
- Bon Secours Memorial College of NursingRichmond, VA · 527 undergrads
- University of ProvidenceGreat Falls, MT · 527 undergrads
- Alice Lloyd CollegePippa Passes, KY · 528 undergrads
Key links
- Official websitewau.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 162210)
- Compare colleges in MDRe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in MarylandEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Compare with St. John's CollegeSide by side on every Scorecard measure — closest in-state school by enrollment
- Showdown: Washington Adventist University vs St. John's CollegeHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 5 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.