National university
#20 Lowest net price for middle-income families in AmericaWashington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $21,786 a year
Median debt at graduation: $17,500 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Upcoming admissions events
- Discover WashU DayOctober 23, 2026 · 8:15 AM · Saint Louis, MOSpend the day and learn about WashU, including an Admissions & Aid presentation and a student-led campus tour in the morning.More about Discover WashU DayAdd to calendar
- WashU Academic Showcase DayNovember 6, 2026 · 9:00 AM · Sumers Welcome Center, 1 Wrighton Way, Saint Louis, MO 63105More about WashU Academic Showcase DayAdd to calendar
View all upcoming events · From the college's admissions website.
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#1 of 704
- Best colleges for accounting in America#4 of 1,132
- Best colleges for marketing in America#4 of 834
- Best colleges for finance in America#4 of 744
- Best colleges for education in America#10 of 1,318
- Best colleges for business in America#14 of 1,563
Show 29 more
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#13 of 1,238
- Best colleges in America#26 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#21 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#22 of 1,481
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#11 of 690
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#22 of 1,358
- Best colleges for art and design in America#20 of 1,187
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#35 of 1,829
- Best colleges for English in America#25 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#25 of 1,247
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#25 of 1,215
- Best colleges for music in America#22 of 1,063
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#25 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#25 of 1,116
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in America#10 of 430
- Best colleges for computer science in America#19 of 750
- Best mid-size colleges in America#18 of 667
- Best colleges for engineering in America#21 of 749
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in America#20 of 682
- Best colleges for economics in America#25 of 788
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in America#37 of 704
- Most selective colleges in America#41 of 683
- Best colleges in the St. Louis area#1 of 16
- Best value colleges in the Midwest in America#16 of 177
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#62 of 598
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#76 of 693
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#79 of 681
- Best value colleges in America#80 of 674
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in America#95 of 684
In Missouri
- Best colleges in Missouri#1 of 53
- Best colleges for business in Missouri#1 of 43
- Best test-optional colleges in Missouri#1 of 42
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Missouri#1 of 40
- Best colleges for education in Missouri#1 of 39
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Missouri#1 of 38
Show 26 more
- Best colleges for psychology in Missouri#1 of 38
- Best colleges for history in Missouri#1 of 37
- Best colleges for English in Missouri#1 of 36
- Best colleges for mathematics in Missouri#1 of 33
- Best colleges for accounting in Missouri#1 of 32
- Best colleges for art and design in Missouri#1 of 32
- Best colleges for chemistry in Missouri#1 of 32
- Best colleges for music in Missouri#1 of 30
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Missouri#1 of 27
- Best colleges for finance in Missouri#1 of 22
- Best colleges for computer science in Missouri#1 of 21
- Best colleges for marketing in Missouri#1 of 20
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Missouri#1 of 20
- Best colleges for economics in Missouri#1 of 18
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in Missouri#1 of 18
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Missouri#3 of 53
- Lowest net price for middle-income families in Missouri#1 of 17
- Best mid-size colleges in Missouri#1 of 16
- Best colleges for engineering in Missouri#1 of 14
- Most selective colleges in Missouri#2 of 19
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in Missouri#2 of 18
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in Missouri#3 of 20
- Colleges with the lowest student debt in Missouri#4 of 19
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Missouri#3 of 13
- Best value colleges in Missouri#4 of 17
- Best value colleges in the Midwest in Missouri#4 of 17
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.94%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.95%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,530 · ACT 34
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.7 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$181,929
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $88,488 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 8,267 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 46% · Women 54% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 11% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 86% |
| Total students | 16,500 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $21,786 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $88,488 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $17,500 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 94% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 88% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 85% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 88% |
| First-year retention | 95% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $86,182 |
| Admission rate | 12% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $75 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 18% |
| Average SAT | 1530 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 730–770 |
| SAT math | 770–800 |
| ACT composite | 33–35 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Excellent · Top 11% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Finance | |
| Computer science | |
| Managerial economics | |
| Systems Engineering | |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Economics | |
| Marketing | |
| Mathematics | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Psychology | |
| Political science | |
| Experimental psychology | |
| Anthropology | |
| Biology | |
| Design | |
| Cognitive Science | |
| Global studies |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Accounting, Applied mathematics, Archeology, Architectural Sciences and Technology, Architecture, Area studies, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Biomedical/Medical Engineering, Business administration, Chemistry, Classical and Ancient Studies, Classics, Clinical and counseling psychology, Communication studies, Computer engineering, Computing and information science, Dance, East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Ecology and evolutionary biology, Economics and Computer Science, Education (general), Electrical engineering, Engineering (general), Engineering-Related Fields, English, Entrepreneurship, Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering, Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Ethnic and gender studies, Film and video, Fine arts, General studies, Geology and earth science, German, Health administration, Health sciences, History, Human resources, Interdisciplinary studies, International relations, Iranian/Persian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Journalism, Liberal arts, Linguistics, Management information systems, Mathematics and Computer Science, Microbiological Sciences and Immunology, Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Neuroscience, Other communication, journalism, and related programs, Other engineering, Other health professions and related clinical sciences, Other psychology, Philosophy, Physics, Pre-health, Public relations, Religious studies, Romance languages, Secondary education, Sociology, Statistics, Sustainability Studies, Teacher education, Theatre, Urban Studies/Affairs, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Engineering | |
| Biology | |
| Social sciences | |
| Computer and information sciences | |
| Business |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 4% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 8% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $21,854 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · University Athletic Association |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 7 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 73%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $759,022IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 86% of studentsBeds ÷ undergraduates; not how many live on campus |
| Nearest major airport | St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)About 8 miles away |
| Town population | 288,512Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | St. LouisAbout 4 miles away |
| Typical weather | 33°F in January · 81°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from St Louis Sci Center, MO |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.06 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.06 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.03 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.47 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Washington University in St. Louis’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A+). It ranks in the top 2% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Washington University in St. Louis cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $21,786 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Washington University in St. Louis?
- Washington University in St. Louis admitted 12% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Washington University in St. Louis’s graduates do?
- 94% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $86,182; the median federal debt at graduation is $17,500.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 179867
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (very high research)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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