Washington State acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Washington State University · Public · Pullman, WA · 21,923 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Washington State admitted 85.4% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 82.1% in 2013. Washington residents pay $13,888 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $30,994.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
Show as table
| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 82.1% | 14,887 | 12,219 |
| 2014 | 82.1% | 14,887 | 12,219 |
| 2015 | 79.6% | 19,766 | 15,742 |
| 2016 | 72.0% | 23,223 | 16,731 |
| 2017 | 73.1% | 22,565 | 16,487 |
| 2018 | 77.2% | 22,773 | 17,579 |
| 2019 | 75.8% | 21,434 | 16,247 |
| 2020 | 79.9% | 21,198 | 16,947 |
| 2021 | 85.8% | 18,197 | 15,607 |
| 2022 | 83.1% | 19,401 | 16,123 |
| 2023 | 85.4% | 26,166 | 22,335 |
Applications went from 14,887 in fall 2013 to 26,166 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
Show as table
| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $6,750 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $7,495 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $8,683 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $15,212 |
| Over $110,000 | $24,537 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $13,888 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $30,994 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $27,914 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $13,462 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Western Washington WA | 91.3% | $9,924 in-state |
| University of Washington WA | 42.5% | $13,406 in-state |
| Sam Houston State TX | 85.4% | $9,228 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Washington State's fall 2023 numbers were 26,166 applications and 22,335 admitted students, which gives 85.4%.1 The rate was 82.1% in 2013, so it has risen 3.3 percentage points.1 Declines appeared in 4 of the 10 yearly changes, including a 72.0% reading in 2016.1 Applications grew 76% over the span, against an 83% increase in admitted students.1 From 2022 to 2023, applications grew 35% and admitted students grew 39%.1
Washington State does not consider test scores, so IPEDS records it as test-blind with no SAT or ACT range for fall 2023.1
Washington residents pay $13,888 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, and out-of-state students pay $30,994.2 The 8 public bachelor's colleges in Washington have a median in-state price of $11,665, so the figure here is higher.2 Grants cut the 2024-25 net price to $6,750 for families in the $0 to $30,000 band, while the $75,001 to $110,000 band paid $15,212 and families over $110,000 paid $24,537.2
The campus had 21,923 undergraduates in 2023, and 78% of the fall 2023 entrants returned the next fall.2,4 A graduation rate of 63% applies to 2019 entrants at 6 years, slightly above the 61% median across 26 Washington bachelor's colleges.2 Median earnings were $72,280 at 10 years after entry, and median federal debt for graduating borrowers was $18,500.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 26,166 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 22,335 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 4,249 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 21,923 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-blind | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | Not reported | Not reported |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | Not reported | Not reported |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | Not reported | Not reported |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $13,888 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $30,994 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $27,914 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $13,462 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $6,750 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $7,495 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $8,683 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $15,212 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $24,537 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 63% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 78% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 35% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $72,280 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $18,500 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, Washington (N = 8) | $11,665 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Washington (N = 26) | 61% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Washington State, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page