loading 6,000+ schools…
Pullman, WA · Bellingham, WA
| Washington State University | Western Washington University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $14,971/yr | $21,193/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $7,074/yr | $12,915/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $19,500 | $18,500 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $8,971/yr | $14,147/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $11,519/yr | $17,539/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $18,426/yr | $24,301/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $24,726/yr | $27,984/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $207/mo | $196/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $13,622/yr | $15,747/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $13,622/yr | $15,747/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $762/yr | $1,224/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $3,444/yr | $4,722/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $27,648/yr | $30,359/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $13,391/yr | $9,582/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $29,950/yr | $28,707/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 27% | 21% |
| Students taking federal loans | 30% | 29% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 87% | 93% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | No data reported | 1150–1390 |
| SAT average | No data reported | 1289 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | No data reported | 24–31 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | No data reported | English 24–33 · Math 22–28 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 26,166 | 14,243 |
| Students accepted | 22,335 | 13,005 |
| Students who enrolled | 4,249 | 3,184 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 19% | 24% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | No data reported | 9% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | No data reported | 3% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Work experience | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 61% | 65% |
| Freshmen who come back | 78% | 79% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $68,905/yr | $62,569/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $43,186–$97,582 | $39,304–$86,564 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 66% | 71% |
| White students graduating | 65% | 66% |
| Black students graduating | 40% | 38% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 54% | 60% |
| Asian students graduating | 64% | 72% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $53,510/yr | $45,272/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 80% | 77% |
| Graduate on time | 41% | 40% |
| Pell students who graduate | 51% | 57% |
| First-gen students who finish | 58% | 63% |
| Low-income students who finish | 58% | 64% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $61,897/yr | $53,473/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 18% · Social Sciences 10% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 9% | Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 12% · Business, Management & Marketing 10% · Social Sciences 10% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 18% of degrees | Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies — 12% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Social Sciences — 10% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 10% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 9% of degrees | Social Sciences — 10% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Engineering — 8% of degrees | Psychology — 8% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Psychology — 8% of degrees | Education — 7% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Business Administration, Management and Operations — $125,114/yr | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $80,808/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 28% | 16% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 21,099 | 13,544 |
| Students per professor | 15 : 1 | 18 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 4,230 | 958 |
| Average professor pay | $11,233/mo | $11,802/mo |
| Full-time professors | 84% | 71% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities |
| Median family income | $44,850 | $51,312 |
| Setting | Town (distant) | City (small) |
| Location | Pullman, WA | Bellingham, WA |
| Region | Far West | Far West |
| Founded | 1959 | 1893 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 2.3% | 0.7% |
| Men | 47% | 43% |
| Women | 53% | 57% |
| White students | 57% | 69% |
| Black students | 3.2% | 2% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 19% | 11% |
| Asian students | 6.8% | 5.9% |
| Two or more races | 8.3% | 8.5% |
| Other / not reported | 3.2% | 2.6% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 34% | 27% |
| Part-time students | 10% | 8.9% |
| Students age 25+ | 15% | 7.3% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $11,856/yr | $13,138/yr |
| Endowment | $1.4B | $126.0M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 7,029 | 4,196 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $8,601/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan charge | $4,560/yr | No data reported |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Quarter |
| Federal designation | Land-grant institution | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Navy, Air Force | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | No |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | Yes | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FBS | NCAA Division II without football |
| Football team | Yes | No |
| Varsity teams | 13 | 11 |
| Student athletes | 455 | 297 |
| Athletic scholarships | $11.2M | $1.9M |
| Athletics budget | $68.6M | $8.9M |
| Athletics revenue | $82.2M | $8.9M |
| Recruiting spend | $1.7M | $34,166 |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.