Western Washington University
Bellingham, Washington · Also known as Western Washington State College|Western Washington College of Education · Website
$62,569
median earnings, 10 years after starting
$62,569
median earnings, 10 years after starting
Western Washington University is a public 4-year college in Bellingham, Washington with 13,544 undergraduates and 958 graduate students. Its average net price after grants is $21,193 a year (tuition and fees $9,582 in-state, $28,707 out-of-state). It admits 93% of applicants and 65% of students finish within 6 years. Former students earn a median $62,569 a year 10 years after they started, and graduates leave with a median $18,500 in federal student loans.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · June 2026 data
Net price
$21,193
US median $17,138
Tuition in-state
$9,582
Out-of-state $28,707
Admission rate
93%
US median 78%
Completion rate
65%
Within 6 years, US 58%
Median debt
$18,500
About $196 a month
Earnings at 10 years
$62,569
Rank 662 of 5,094 in the US
Cost
What a year costs: posted prices and the average after grants
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants, for students who get aid
- Net price
- $21,193
- Tuition in-state
- $9,582
- Tuition out-of-state
- $28,707
- Cost of attendance
- $30,359
- Students with a need-based grant
- 21%
- Students with federal loans
- 29%
- Net price, family income under $30K
- $12,915
- Net price, family income $30K to $48K
- $14,147
- Net price, family income $48K to $75K
- $17,539
- Net price, family income $75K to $110K
- $24,301
- Net price, family income over $110K
- $27,984
Net price is what students who get aid pay on average after grants.
Tuition and net price by year
School years 2015-16 to 2024-25. The year on the chart is the year the school year starts.
Yearly cost
Tuition and fees went from $8,611 in 2015-16 to $9,582 in 2024-25.
Admission, completion and retention
Share of applicants admitted, of students who finish and of first-year students who come back
Admission and students
- Admission rate
- 93%
- Average SAT
- 1,289
- SAT reading, middle
- 615
- SAT math, middle
- 585
- ACT, middle
- 26
- Undergraduates
- 13,544
- Graduate students
- 958
- Part-time students
- 8.9%
- Women
- 57%
- Students per teacher
- 18
- Completion rate
- 65%
- Retention rate
- 79%
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Programs
- 150
- Endowment
- $126.0M
Earnings and debt
Compared with the medians of the colleges of its state, of colleges of the same kind and of all US colleges
Median earnings 10 years after starting rank 662 of 5,094 US colleges and 18 of 87 in Washington (1 = highest).
| Measure | College | WA median | Same kind | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net price | $21,193 | $14,091 | $12,792 | $17,138 |
| Tuition in-state | $9,582 | $8,256 | $8,626 | $11,837 |
| Admission rate | 93% | 83% | 83% | 78% |
| Completion rate | 65% | 50% | 46% | 58% |
| Retention rate | 79% | 80% | 76% | 75% |
| Median debt | $18,500 | $13,653 | $19,500 | $13,271 |
| Earnings after 6 years | $45,272 | $42,696 | $43,105 | $35,656 |
| Earnings after 10 years | $62,569 | $47,869 | $50,314 | $40,813 |
Best-paid programs
Median earnings 1 year after graduation
Same kind: US public 4-year colleges. Earnings and debt are medians of former students who received federal student aid. 74% of borrowers lowered their balance within 3 years. 73% earn more than a typical high school graduate 6 years after starting.
Programs
150 fields of study and credentials, with graduates, debt and earnings
| Field of study | Graduates | Median debt | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | US median 4 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 240 | $18,654 | $32,306 | $53,224 | $50,706 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchBachelor's | Bachelor's | 207 | $20,352 | $30,899 | $53,781 | $55,012 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 128 | $18,583 | $68,219 | $110,138 | $92,374 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherBachelor's | Bachelor's | 128 | $17,500 | $23,213 | $43,919 | $55,693 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing StudiesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 115 | $17,604 | $27,116 | $38,460 | $48,471 |
| MarketingBachelor's | Bachelor's | 115 | $17,166 | $43,375 | $69,323 | $69,303 |
| SociologyBachelor's | Bachelor's | 106 | $19,207 | $33,039 | $54,263 | $52,657 |
| Special Education and TeachingBachelor's | Bachelor's | 102 | $27,000 | $52,912 | $64,780 | $50,499 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 99 | $16,666 | $53,402 | $71,886 | $68,257 |
| Human Services, GeneralOnlineBachelor's | Bachelor's | 94 | $19,500 | $39,487 | $53,788 | $48,597 |
| Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's | Bachelor's | 90 | $18,675 | $27,217 | $49,640 | $63,293 |
| HistoryBachelor's | Bachelor's | 87 | $17,100 | $25,355 | $46,000 | $50,680 |
| Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 86 | $17,887 | $34,857 | $56,415 | $56,359 |
| English Language and Literature, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 84 | $16,585 | $32,334 | $46,571 | $48,590 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory ProgramsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 77 | $17,708 | $29,238 | $53,428 | $61,911 |
| Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 67 | $19,500 | $23,102 | $35,161 | $41,367 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsMaster's | Master's | 61 | $27,499 | $63,702 | $74,041 | $59,916 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasBachelor's | Bachelor's | 61 | $24,700 | $42,795 | $63,072 | $51,389 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 58 | $21,595 | $34,119 | $54,290 | $50,532 |
| Design and Applied ArtsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 57 | $19,833 | $31,078 | $69,715 | $51,490 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 54 | $20,567 | $60,048 | $82,246 | $76,194 |
| AnthropologyBachelor's | Bachelor's | 49 | $21,727 | $27,851 | $50,703 | $46,676 |
| JournalismBachelor's | Bachelor's | 48 | $18,151 | $34,119 | $57,697 | $56,278 |
| EconomicsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 48 | $18,500 | $45,401 | $64,123 | $82,686 |
| Biology, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 47 | $16,950 | $33,871 | $50,027 | $57,214 |
In the area
- Jobs, pay and new homes: the county of Bellingham and Washington on Local Economy
- More colleges: All colleges in Washington
- Homes: Homes for sale in Washington
Questions and answers
How much does Western Washington University cost?
$21,193 a year is the average net price at Western Washington University after grants and scholarships. Tuition and fees are $9,582 for in-state students and $28,707 for out-of-state students, and the full cost of attendance with housing, food and books is $30,359. Families earning under $30,000 pay $12,915 on average.
What is the acceptance rate at Western Washington University?
93% of applicants are admitted to Western Washington University. The average SAT score of admitted students is 1,289 and the middle ACT score is 26. The median admission rate of colleges in Washington is 83%.
How much do Western Washington University graduates earn?
$62,569 a year is the median pay of former Western Washington University students who work, 10 years after they started ($45,272 after 6 years). That ranks 662 of 5,094 US colleges and 18 of 87 in Washington. Its best-paid program one year after graduation is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's) at $80,808.
How much student debt do Western Washington University graduates have?
$18,500 is the median federal student loan debt of Western Washington University graduates, about $196 a month over 10 years. The median across US colleges is $13,271. 29% of undergraduates take out federal loans.
What is the graduation rate at Western Washington University?
65% of first-time, full-time students at Western Washington University finish within 6 years. 79% of first-year students come back for a second year. The median of public 4-year colleges is 46%.
What are the most popular majors at Western Washington University?
Psychology, General (240 bachelor's graduates), Natural Resources Conservation and Research (207 bachelor's graduates), Computer and Information Sciences, General (128 bachelor's graduates) had the most graduates in the newest year, out of 150 programs.
Official public data, June 2026 release. Net price is for first-time, full-time students who get aid. Completion counts first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of the normal time. Debt and earnings are medians of students who received federal student aid, measured a few years after they left, in the dollars of the year measured; earnings count former students who work and are not enrolled, including those who did not finish.