Western Washington University

www.wwu.edu

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2020 Undergraduate Tuition

$7,377

2.25% growth from 2019

2020 Average Net Price

$18,398

After Financial Aid

2018 Student Loan

1.73%

Default Rate

2020 Acceptance Rate

93.5%

10,219 Applicants

2020 Enrolled Students

15,197

88.1% Full-Time

2020 Graduation Rate

67.5%

1,866 Graduates

About

Western Washington University is a higher education institution located in Whatcom County, WA. In 2020, the most popular Bachelor's Degree concentrations at Western Washington University were General Psychology (203 degrees awarded), Environmental Science (160 degrees), and Sociology (145 degrees).

In 2020, 4,117 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Western Washington University. 59.7% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 40.3% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (2,983 degrees), 8.4 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (355 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Western Washington University is $7,377, which is $−15,153 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($22,531).

Photo by domjisch

Costs

The median undergraduate tuition at Western Washington University is $7,377, which is $−15,153 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($22,531).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $18,398.

In 2020, 57% of undergraduate students attending Western Washington University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 36% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$7,377

2020 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2020, the cost of tuition at Western Washington University was $7,377. The cost of tuition at Western Washington University is $−15,153 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($22,531).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Western Washington University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$18,398

2020 Value

3.78%

1 Year Growth

In 2020 Western Washington University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $18,398. Between 2019 and 2020, the average net price of Western Washington University grew by 3.78%.

This chart compares the average net price of Western Washington University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$12,036

Room and Board

$954

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Western Washington University was of $12,036 in 2020. During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $954. The cost of room and board increased by 4.97% between 2019 and 2020. The cost of books and supplies increased by 3.25% during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Western Washington University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

57%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

36%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

57% of undergraduate students at Western Washington University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2020. This represents a growth of 11.8% with respect to 2019, when 51% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Western Washington University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

1.73%

2018 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2018 the default rate for borrower's at Western Washington University was 1.73%, which represents 51 out of the 2954 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

Western Washington University received 10,219 undergraduate applications in 2020, which represents a 2.8% annual decline. Out of those 10,219 applicants, 9,556 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 93.5% acceptance rate.

There were 15,197 students enrolled at Western Washington University in 2020, and 83% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Western Washington University has an overall enrollment yield of 26.1%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

93.5%

Acceptance Rate in 2020

9,556

Accepted Out of 10,219

In 2020, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Western Washington University was 93.5% (9,556 admissions from 10,219 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2019, which was 90.4%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of applicants declined by −2.8%, while admissions grew by 0.568%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Western Washington University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

SAT Scores

83%

Submission Percentage

2,072

Scores Submitted

83% of enrolled first-time students at Western Washington University in 2020 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Western Washington University has a total enrollment of 15,197 students. The full-time enrollment at Western Washington University is 13,389 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,808. This means that 88.1% of students enrolled at Western Washington University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Western Washington University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 68.8% White, 10.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.04% Two or More Races, 6.36% Asian, 1.71% Black or African American, 0.447% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.132% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Western Washington University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (40.2%), followed by White Male (28.1%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (6.77%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (45.2%), followed by White Male (25.6%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (5.74%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

88.1%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Western Washington University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 15,197 students. The full-time enrollment at Western Washington University is 13,389 and the part-time enrollment is 1,808. This means that 88.1% of students enrolled at Western Washington University are enrolled full-time compared with 68.8% at similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Western Washington University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

79%

2020 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Western Washington University was 79%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Masters Colleges and Universities (75%), Western Washington University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Western Washington University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity

White
10,463
Hispanic or Latino
1,575
Two or More Races
1,374

The enrolled student population at Western Washington University is 68.8% White, 10.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.04% Two or More Races, 6.36% Asian, 1.71% Black or African American, 0.447% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.132% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Masters Colleges and Universities is 52.6% White, 16.6% Hispanic or Latino, and 13% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 343 students (2.26%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2020, 801 more women than men received degrees from Western Washington University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Western Washington University is white (2,983 degrees awarded). There were 8.4 times more white graduates than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (355 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Western Washington University is General Psychology (203 degrees awarded), followed by Environmental Science (160 degrees) and Sociology (145 degrees).

The most specialized majors across all degree types at Western Washington University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Natural Resources & Conservation (282 degrees awarded), Language & Linguistics (158 degrees), and English (231 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Western Washington University are Elementary & middle school teachers (245,630 people), Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (189,984 people), Other managers (155,558 people), Postsecondary teachers (141,882 people), and Secondary school teachers (119,866 people).

The most specialized majors at Western Washington University are Natural Resources & Conservation (282 degrees awarded), Language & Linguistics (158 degrees), English (231 degrees), Interdisciplinary Studies (302 degrees), and History (84 degrees).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Western Washington University are Surgeons, Clinical and counseling psychologists, Computer hardware engineers, Entertainers & performers, sports & related workers, all other, and Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Western Washington University are Elementary & secondary schools (502,003 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (295,181 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (161,553 people), Legal services (157,150 people), and Computer Systems Design (115,623 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Western Washington University.

Most Common

General Psychology
203 degree-majorss awarded
Environmental Science
160 degree-majorss awarded
Sociology
145 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Western Washington University was General Psychology with 203 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Western Washington University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,658

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2020

2,459

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2020

In 2020, 1,658 degrees were awarded to men at Western Washington University, which is 0.674 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,459).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Western Washington University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2020, 125 degrees were awarded to men at Western Washington University in General Computer & Information Sciences, which is 5.95 times more than the 21 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2020, 160 degrees were awarded to women at Western Washington University in General Psychology, which is 3.72 times more than the 43 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

39%

100% Completion Time

68%

150% Completion Time

In 2020, 39% of students graduating from Western Washington University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 68% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 71% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Masters Colleges and Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

American Indian or Alaska Native Male

Highest Graduation Rate (75%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate at Western Washington University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (75% graduation rate). Across all Masters Colleges and Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.4%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.429% of graduates (8 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
2,983 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
355 degrees awarded
Two or More Races
329 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Western Washington University is white (2,983 degrees awarded). There were 8.4 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (355 degrees).

1.85% of degree recipients (76 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic

White Female
1,781 degrees awarded
White Male
1,202 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
238 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Western Washington University is white female (1,781 degrees awarded). There were 1.48 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (1,202 degrees).

Operations

Western Washington University has an endowment valued at nearly $90M, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of $2.66M (2.96%), compared to the 3.19% average return ($1.26M on $39.6M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2020, Western Washington University had a total salary expenditure of $352M. Western Washington University employs 232 Professors, 173 Associate professors, and 152 Assistant professors. Most academics at Western Washington University are Male Professors (143), Male Associate professors(90), and Female Professors (89).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Western Washington University are: Office and Administrative Support, with 393 employees, Business and Financial Operations, with 180 employees, and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 163 employees.

Endowment

$90M

2020 Endowment

1.17%

decline from 2019

Western Washington University has an endowment valued at about $90M, as of the end of the 2020 fiscal year. The endowment of Western Washington University declined 1.17% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $50.4M higher than than the median endowment of Masters Colleges and Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Western Washington University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$5.06M - Federal
$24.2M - State
$496k - Local

As of 2020, Western Washington University received $5.06M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $24.2M from state grants and contracts, and $496k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$168M

2020 Salaries

5.72%

growth from 2019

In 2020, Western Washington University paid a median of $168M in salaries, which represents 47.7% of their overall expenditure ($352M) and a 5.72% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 4.02% growth from 2018 and a 2.34% growth from 2017.

The median for similar Masters Colleges and Universities is 34.6M (40.9% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$61.7M

Instructional Salaries

657

Number of Employees

In 2020, Western Washington University paid a total of $61.7M to 657 employees working as instructors, which represents 36.7% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $11M (31.8%) for similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

232 Employees

Office and Administrative Support

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

393 Employees

In 2020, the most common positions for instructional staff at Western Washington University were Professor with 232 employees; Associate professor with 173 employees; and Associate professor with 152 employees.

In 2020, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Western Washington University were Office and Administrative Support with 393 employees; Business and Financial Operations with 180 employees; and Computer, Engineering, and Science with 163 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic

Male Professor
Male Associate professor
Female Professor

In 2020, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Western Washington University was Male Professor with 143 employees, Male Associate professor with 90 employees, and Female Professor with 89 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Western Washington University.