Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA
93.3%
Acceptance Rate
$9,582
Avg Cost (In-State)
$28,707
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
65.1%
Graduation Rate
13,544
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
January 31
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
0
Application Fee
$60
Interview
Not required
Essays: Personal statement required, 650 word maximum
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$45,272
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$62,569
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
65%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research. | $30,899 | $53,781 | 265 |
| Psychology, General. | $32,306 | $53,224 | 214 |
| Sociology. | $33,039 | $54,263 | 164 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $53,402 | $71,886 | 160 |
| Marketing. | $43,375 | $69,323 | 129 |
| Human Services, General. | $39,487 | $53,788 | 119 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies. | $27,116 | $38,460 | 110 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | $68,219 | $110,138 | 109 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
Write a review →Verified with .edu email. We moderate for spam/abuse, never for sentiment. Reviewer names stay private.
No verified reviews of Western Washington University yet.
Are you a current student here? Be the first to share what you wish you'd known before enrolling.
Verify with .edu and write oneWhat will you actually pay?
Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at Western Washington University
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend Western Washington University
Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
WA College Bound Scholarship
~$30k valueWashington pays full tuition + $500 book stipend at WA publics for low-income kids who sign the pledge in 7th-8th grade and stay on track.
Who it helps: Low-income WA 7th-8th graders. Must enroll before HS.
How to use: Enroll at readysetgrad.wa.gov by end of 8th grade. File FAFSA senior year.
Source ↗Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Washington College Bound Scholarship
Full tuition + $500/books at public WA colleges
stateWA students who sign up in 7th or 8th grade, graduate high school, and have family income at or below 65% of state MFI.
Deadline: June 30 of 8th grade year (sign-up)
Learn more ↗WSU Cougar Award
$2,500-$10,000/year
universityTop WSU incoming freshmen via tiered automatic merit grid.
Deadline: January 31
Learn more ↗WA Passport to College Promise (Foster Care)
Up to $4,500/year
stateWA former foster youth attending WA postsecondary institutions.
Deadline: FAFSA/WASFA
Learn more ↗WA State Need Grant (Tier 2)
Varies
stateWA residents with family income 65-100% MFI; partial WCG award.
Deadline: FAFSA/WASFA
Learn more ↗UW Husky Promise
Full tuition + fees for low-income WA residents
universityWA residents at or below federal Pell level admitted to UW Seattle.
Deadline: FAFSA + admission
Learn more ↗UW Stamps Leadership Scholarship
Full cost of attendance + summer enrichment
universityTop ~5 UW freshmen via competitive Stamps process.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Whitman College Distinguished Scholarship
$10,000-$20,000/year
universityTop Whitman freshmen via competitive merit-based review.
Deadline: January 1
Learn more ↗Seattle Foundation Scholarships
$500-$5,000+
localKing County / Seattle area students.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗U Washington Costco Diversity Scholarship
$2,500-$10,000/year + Costco internship
universityUnderrepresented WA students at UW with academic merit.
Deadline: January 15
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 93.3% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
93.25%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
25.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
22.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
90.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
17.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
30.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
80.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
70.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Considered
Visiting, attending info sessions and opening admissions emails meaningfully helps your chances. Track your touchpoints.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
California State University-Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA
93.3% acceptance
Both admit around 93% of applicants, with 13k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS
93.5% acceptance
Both admit around 94% of applicants, with 21k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania
Bloomsburg, PA
93.1% acceptance
Both admit around 93% of applicants, with 9k undergrads and a r campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
California State University-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
91.3% acceptance
Similar selectivity (91% vs 93%) but out-of-state cost runs $20k — meaningfully less than $29k.
California State University-Fresno
Fresno, CA
95.3% acceptance
Similar selectivity (95% vs 93%) but out-of-state cost runs $20k — meaningfully less than $29k.
California State University-Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA
93.3% acceptance
Similar selectivity (93% vs 93%) but out-of-state cost runs $20k — meaningfully less than $29k.
Reaches above this college
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR
77.3% acceptance
Same c setting in the West, but more selective (77% vs 93%) — a stretch target if Western Washington University is already on your list.
University of Idaho
Moscow, ID
75.5% acceptance
Same c setting in the West, but more selective (76% vs 93%) — a stretch target if Western Washington University is already on your list.
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT
67.8% acceptance
Same c setting in the West, but more selective (68% vs 93%) — a stretch target if Western Washington University is already on your list.
Ready to dig deeper?
Get your personalized research report for Western Washington University — scholarships, admissions strategy, costs, and a step-by-step playbook.