Washington State University
Pullman, WA · Public · Town (distant) · Carnegie R1/R2 · WSU
Public institution in Pullman, WA · 21,583 undergraduates · 85% acceptance rate · $68,905 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 5%Undergraduates
- Top 15%Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- Top 20%Median earnings, 6 years after entry
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
- $14,401626th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $12,997841st cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $29,0731,224th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $27,176816th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $19,500574th lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $68,905299th highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $53,510399th highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 61.6%707th highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 79.6%699th highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 85.4%1,086th most selective of 1,608 reporting
- Average SAT
- —
- Median ACT
- —
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 21,58398th largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 15.0:11,317th smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 25.6%1,448th highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 247 mi (SEA)
On 3 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Applying
- Common App member
- Yes
- Application fee
- $70
- 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 112 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $74,576 | $75,204 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $72,146 | $69,757 |
| Computer Science | bachelors | $70,628 | $68,808 |
| Construction ManagementBusiness | bachelors | $70,176 | $69,691 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $70,083 | $72,881 |
| Mechanical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $65,373 | $64,951 |
| Civil EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $64,349 | $63,393 |
| Chemical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $63,501 | $64,121 |
| Materials EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $61,218 | — |
| Biomedical/Medical EngineeringEngineering | bachelors | $60,094 | $42,682 |
| Management Information Systems and ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $58,943 | $59,042 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $52,584 | $46,143 |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1959source
- Athletic nickname: "Cougars"source
- Mascot: Butch T. Cougarsource
- Martin Stadium seats about 32,740source
- Competes in NCAA Division Isource
- School colors: Crimson and Graysource
- Campus size: about 1,742 acressource
- Formerly known as "Agricultural College, Experiment Station and School of Science of the State of Washington" (1890–1905)source
- Formerly known as "State College of Washington" (1905–1959)source
- Athletic conference: Pac-12source
- Plays for the "Apple Cup Trophy" (since 1900)source
- Football rivalry: Battle of the Palouse (since 1894)source
- Plays for the "Founders Trophy" (since 1933)source
- 4 Nobel laureates affiliatedsource
- Fight song: ""[[Bow Down to Washington]]""source
- Notable alum: Paul Allensource
- Notable alum: Dolph Lundgrensource
- Notable alum: Timothy Learysource
- Notable alum: Hary Gunartosource
- Notable alum: Edward R. Murrowsource
Athletics — 10 sports
NCAA Division I-FBS · NCAA Division I
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $11,226,621 (M $6,432,284 · W $4,794,337)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Football
- Golf
- Rowing
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
- Volleyball
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Key links
- Official websitewsu.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 236939)
- Compare colleges in WARe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in WashingtonEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Showdown: Washington State University vs Western Washington UniversityHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 10 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.