Washington University in St Louis
St. Louis, Missouri · Private nonprofit · 4-year · Suburb
Official websiteAt a glance
- Average net price
- $21,786What students typically pay per year after grants and scholarships.
- Acceptance rate
- 12%
- Graduation rate
- 94%Share of students who finish within 150% of the normal time.
- Undergraduates
- 7,857
- In-state tuition
- $65,790Published price before aid.
- Out-of-state tuition
- $65,790
- SAT midpoint
- 1,530
- Median earnings, 10 yrs
- $86,182Median earnings of former students ten years after they first enrolled.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Data year: 2022-23 academic year. Updated September 2026. Figures are averages across all students and will differ from what any individual pays.
How it compares to similar colleges
Each rating covers one measure against private nonprofit 4-year colleges nationally. Five stars means the top fifth on that measure. There is no overall score, because which of these matters is your call.
Affordability
$21,7863/5
Better than 56% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1092 compared).
Completion
94%5/5
Better than 98% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1063 compared).
Earnings
$86,1825/5
Better than 93% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1087 compared).
Debt at graduation
$17,5005/5
Better than 89% of private nonprofit 4-year colleges (1020 compared).
What these ratings are based on
- Affordability
- Based on average net price: what students receiving federal aid actually paid, after grants and scholarships. Your own cost depends on your family's finances.
- Completion
- Based on the share of first-time, full-time students who graduate within 150% of normal time. It excludes transfer and part-time students, which understates colleges serving many of them.
- Earnings
- Based on median earnings ten years after students first enrolled. It reflects the subjects a college teaches and the region it sits in as much as its teaching.
- Debt at graduation
- Based on median federal loan debt among students who completed. Private and parent loans are not included, so real totals are often higher.
- Why there is no rating for selectivity
- A lower acceptance rate is selectivity, not quality. Awarding stars for it would be us inventing a value judgement and hiding it behind a number.
What it actually costs
Published cost
$88,488
The sticker price: tuition, fees, housing, food and books for one academic year, before any aid.
Average net price
$21,786
What students receiving federal aid actually paid on average, after grants and scholarships. This is the more useful number, though your own figure depends on your family’s finances.
Outcomes
| Graduation rateWithin 150% of normal time | 94% |
|---|---|
| Retention rateFirst-year students who return | 95% |
| Median debt at graduationFederal loans only, students who completed | $17,500 |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entryFormer students, working and not enrolled | $86,182 |
What graduates of each major earn
Median earnings one year after finishing, for people who took that subject here. This is the figure a college-wide median hides: the spread between subjects at one college is usually far wider than the spread between colleges.
| Major | Earnings, 1 yr | Degrees awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $110,302 | 181 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | $106,701 | 47 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $102,814 | 150 |
| Systems Engineering | $83,874 | 21 |
| Mathematics | $79,799 | 66 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $72,057 | 103 |
| Marketing | $70,819 | 72 |
| Chemical Engineering | $69,801 | 28 |
| Economics | $66,325 | 118 |
| International/Globalization Studies | $38,854 | 50 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $37,377 | 169 |
| Anthropology | $34,489 | 92 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $33,615 | 69 |
| Cognitive Science | $30,996 | 64 |
| Area Studies | $30,716 | 27 |
| Biology, General | $24,925 | 83 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $16,635 | 25 |
| Political Science and Government | Not reported | 75 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | Not reported | 69 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Not reported | 48 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | Not reported | 38 |
| Mathematics and Computer Science | Not reported | 37 |
| History | Not reported | 37 |
| Chemistry | Not reported | 36 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | Not reported | 35 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | Not reported | 33 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | Not reported | 30 |
| Sociology | Not reported | 29 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Not reported | 27 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Not reported | 26 |
| Accounting and Related Services | Not reported | 26 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | Not reported | 26 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Not reported | 25 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Not reported | 25 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | Not reported | 24 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | Not reported | 24 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Not reported | 24 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | Not reported | 21 |
| Computer Engineering | Not reported | 21 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Not reported | 21 |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | Not reported | 20 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | Not reported | 18 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Not reported | 17 |
| Architecture | Not reported | 16 |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Not reported | 14 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Not reported | 14 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | Not reported | 14 |
| Education, General | Not reported | 14 |
| Philosophy | Not reported | 13 |
| Physics | Not reported | 13 |
| Economics and Computer Science | Not reported | 9 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | Not reported | 9 |
| Statistics | Not reported | 9 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | Not reported | 8 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Not reported | 8 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | Not reported | 7 |
| Dance | Not reported | 7 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | Not reported | 6 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Not reported | 6 |
| Religion/Religious Studies | Not reported | 6 |
| Classical and Ancient Studies | Not reported | 6 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | Not reported | 5 |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | Not reported | 5 |
| Applied Mathematics | Not reported | 5 |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Not reported | 4 |
| Psychology, General | Not reported | 4 |
| Music | Not reported | 4 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | Not reported | 4 |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Not reported | 3 |
| Sustainability Studies | Not reported | 3 |
| Engineering, General | Not reported | 3 |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | Not reported | 3 |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | Not reported | 3 |
| Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Not reported | 2 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Not reported | 1 |
| Engineering, Other | Not reported | 1 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Not reported | 1 |
| Journalism | Not reported | Not reported |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | Not reported | Not reported |
| Communication and Media Studies | Not reported | Not reported |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | Not reported | Not reported |
| Iranian/Persian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Not reported | Not reported |
| Psychology, Other | Not reported | Not reported |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | Not reported | Not reported |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | Not reported | Not reported |
| Archeology | Not reported | Not reported |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other | Not reported | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Not reported | Not reported |
All 88 bachelor’s programs this college reported.
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