B
Good
Score: 64/100
Overall (traditional)
Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology
Quick Stats
26,490
Total Enrollment
62%
Graduation Rate
80%
Retention Rate
15.0:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
85%
Acceptance Rate
$18,155
Avg Net Price
Earnings, Debt & Completion
What happens to students who enroll at Washington State University, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
$68,905
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$53,510
Median earnings 6 yrs after entry
$19,500
Median debt at graduation
60.5%
Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)
27.4%
Students receiving Pell grants
Typical debt at graduation equals about 28% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.
Earnings rank: 74th percentile among bachelor’s-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (WA wage index 1.18). This drives the Outcome Rating.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.
Earnings by Major at Washington State University
Median pay of bachelor's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.
| Major | 1 yr after | 4 yrs after | vs. national | Rank (pay) | Rank (wage-adj.) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $79,519 | $119,686 | +12% | #81 of 349 | #113 | $20,000 |
| Computer Engineering | $87,135 | $114,635 | +5% | #57 of 189 | #107 | $19,902 |
| Construction Management | — | $107,531 | +13% | #5 of 57 | #21 | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $79,874 | $104,354 | +4% | #68 of 258 | #182 | $18,546 |
| Chemical Engineering | $69,820 | $99,506 | +1% | #56 of 158 | #113 | $22,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $72,690 | $93,971 | +2% | #105 of 318 | #245 | $18,836 |
| Civil Engineering | $74,841 | $91,879 | +6% | #40 of 233 | #144 | $20,780 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $83,894 | $91,495 | +3% | #298 of 966 | #658 | $13,476 |
| Materials Engineering | $49,560 | $86,145 | -6% | #25 of 34 | #33 | $28,750 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $56,947 | $86,012 | +3% | #133 of 452 | #225 | $19,500 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | $59,490 | $85,967 | +3% | #71 of 166 | #101 | $22,175 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $52,636 | $81,321 | +19% | #125 of 1176 | #245 | $19,443 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | $80,404 | — | — | — | — | $27,000 |
| International Business | $48,292 | $77,598 | +6% | #42 of 115 | #69 | $16,819 |
| Marketing | $47,051 | $76,595 | +11% | #106 of 516 | #202 | $19,500 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | $43,736 | $76,384 | +22% | #7 of 49 | #12 | $21,250 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $57,618 | $75,980 | +-0% | #333 of 796 | #520 | $21,500 |
| Economics | $39,762 | $70,215 | -15% | #270 of 368 | #307 | $25,000 |
| Applied Mathematics | $27,626 | $70,085 | -23% | #38 of 45 | #40 | $16,139 |
| Agricultural Production Operations | $56,743 | $69,708 | +30% | #3 of 14 | #4 | $17,395 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $44,823 | $69,224 | +34% | #20 of 299 | #50 | $24,604 |
| Food Science and Technology | $47,970 | $68,719 | -3% | #18 of 29 | #25 | $13,750 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | $46,288 | $68,583 | +16% | #14 of 33 | #18 | $18,853 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $45,820 | $67,647 | +6% | #56 of 178 | #104 | $19,112 |
| Political Science and Government | $41,130 | $67,264 | +6% | #159 of 565 | #258 | $21,150 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | $41,251 | $66,874 | +18% | #17 of 137 | #31 | $23,207 |
| Public Policy Analysis | $30,303 | $63,631 | -14% | #29 of 34 | #26 | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | $27,463 | $63,052 | +7% | #51 of 215 | #140 | $25,000 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $41,020 | $62,747 | +13% | #86 of 660 | #254 | $19,538 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $38,747 | $62,406 | +11% | #122 of 660 | #229 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $55,864 | $62,126 | +21% | #33 of 345 | #69 | — |
| Social Sciences | $43,069 | $61,617 | +15% | #13 of 87 | #24 | $21,551 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $46,998 | $61,304 | +29% | #21 of 680 | #68 | $20,819 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $30,815 | $60,950 | +12% | #104 of 610 | #256 | $20,500 |
| Biology | $36,290 | $60,418 | +6% | #321 of 841 | #524 | $18,647 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $39,880 | $58,834 | +21% | #13 of 172 | #26 | $22,978 |
| Journalism | $36,273 | $58,795 | +4% | #66 of 187 | #101 | $20,625 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | — | $58,688 | -17% | #181 of 253 | #219 | — |
| History | $31,220 | $58,415 | +15% | #74 of 459 | #145 | $22,266 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $32,416 | $57,956 | +15% | #41 of 158 | #57 | $19,365 |
| Sociology | $39,801 | $57,846 | +10% | #112 of 462 | #204 | $21,450 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | — | $56,880 | +10% | #27 of 103 | #36 | — |
| Psychology | $36,216 | $56,681 | +12% | #182 of 1027 | #391 | $19,515 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $28,316 | $55,687 | -11% | #52 of 67 | #61 | $16,500 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $40,061 | $55,403 | +4% | #170 of 476 | #298 | $20,435 |
| Apparel and Textiles | $40,081 | $52,765 | -8% | #42 of 57 | #50 | $19,500 |
| English Language and Literature | $28,876 | $50,745 | +4% | #220 of 576 | #359 | $18,750 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | $49,561 | — | — | — | — | $26,666 |
| Plant Sciences | $47,531 | — | — | — | — | $15,828 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | $46,514 | — | — | — | — | $20,500 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.
🏆 Where Washington State University Ranks
Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.
Costs & Financial Aid
Tuition & Fees
| Category | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $10,976 | $27,052 |
| Room | $8,601 | |
| Board | $4,560 | |
| Total Cost (On-Campus) | $30,532 | $46,608 |
Financial Aid
91%
Receive Any Aid
27%
Receive Pell Grants
32%
Take Out Loans
$18,155
Avg Net Price
Net Price by Family Income
| Family Income | Average Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $7,147 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $8,723 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $12,308 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,445 |
| $110,001+ | $24,472 |
Programs & Career Paths
Top Degree Programs
Programs ranked by number of degrees awarded annually.
Business Administration and Management, General
640 grads/yr
Psychology, General
545 grads/yr
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
346 grads/yr
Marketing/Marketing Management, General
316 grads/yr
Finance, General
315 grads/yr
Mechanical Engineering
259 grads/yr
Teacher Education, Multiple Levels
251 grads/yr
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
245 grads/yr
Social Sciences, General
228 grads/yr
Elementary Education and Teaching
209 grads/yr
Computer Science
207 grads/yr
Accounting
205 grads/yr
Operations Management and Supervision
188 grads/yr
Criminology
169 grads/yr
Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology
165 grads/yr
Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia
164 grads/yr
Hospitality Administration/Management, General
155 grads/yr
Veterinary Medicine
133 grads/yr
Human Development and Family Studies, General
123 grads/yr
Geology/Earth Science, General
119 grads/yr
Related Career Paths
Careers that graduates from Washington State University's top programs commonly pursue.
Chief executives
$206k/yr
309,400 jobs
Compensation and benefits managers
$140k/yr
20,900 jobs
Human resources managers
$140k/yr
221,900 jobs
Sales managers
$138k/yr
619,500 jobs
Managers, all other
$137k/yr
1,333,700 jobs
Training and development managers
$127k/yr
46,400 jobs
Industrial production managers
$121k/yr
241,900 jobs
Administrative services managers
$108k/yr
271,200 jobs
Student Demographics
26,490
Total Students
54%
Women
84%
Traditional Age (18-24)
2%
Off-Campus Renters
👥 Race & Ethnicity
White
58%
Hispanic
16%
Black
3%
Asian
8%
Two or More
7%
Non-Resident
5%
🏠 Living Arrangements
On Campus
81%
Off-Campus (Renters)
2%
With Family
17%
🏘️ Rental Demand: ~583 students need off-campus housing
💻 Learning Mode
In-Person
71%
Hybrid (Some Online)
13%
Fully Online
16%
📊 Age Distribution
18-24 (Traditional)
84%
25-64 (Adult)
15%
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Washington State University?
Washington State University has an acceptance rate of 85%.
This indicates a less selective admissions process with good chances for qualified applicants.
How much does it cost to attend Washington State University?
Tuition at Washington State University is
$10,976 for in-state students
and $27,052 for out-of-state students
.
However, the average net price after financial aid is $18,155.
What is the graduation rate at Washington State University?
The graduation rate at Washington State University is 62%.
This is a solid graduation rate, showing that most students who enroll successfully complete their degrees.
Is Washington State University a good school?
Washington State University has a Repit College Score of 64/100 (Grade: B).
Our rating evaluates five key factors:
- Outcomes (B+): Graduation and retention rates
- Affordability (C+): Net cost and financial aid access
- Resources (C+): Class sizes and selectivity
- Experience (A): Campus life and learning format
- Prestige (C): Reputation and recognition
How many students attend Washington State University?
Washington State University has a total enrollment of 26,490 students.
Most students (84%) are traditional college-age (18-24).
Is there rental demand near Washington State University?
Yes! Approximately 2% of students at Washington State University live off-campus (not with family).
That's roughly 583 students who need rental housing near campus.
Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for Washington State University — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →
🎓 Similar Colleges to Washington State University
Compare with other 4-Year public institutions of similar size.
Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology