Central Washington University (CWU) Acceptance Rate

Acceptance rate

91%

More selective than 18% of Washington colleges we cover. U.S. median 77%.

College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class

Test scores

Not considered

Share of students sending scores not reported.

IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class

Admitted students who enroll

25%

Called “yield.” A high yield means many admitted students choose CWU over other offers.

IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class

Applicants, admits and enrollment

Applied6,829

Admitted6,161

Enrolled1,568

IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class (first-time, degree-seeking undergraduates). Newer counts arrive with the next IPEDS release.

We don't have CWU's Common Data Set yet, the college's own report of what it weighs in admissions, early decision and waitlist numbers. Work at CWU or have its file? Send it to us.

CWU admissions year over year

Entering class	Acceptance	SAT reading	SAT math	ACT	Source
Fall 2024	91%	—	—	—	College Scorecard
Fall 2023	90%	—	—	—	IPEDS

Score ranges are the 25th–75th percentiles. Each year is kept as published; we add a year with every federal release.

How selective is CWU compared with other Washington colleges?

CWU has the 15th-lowest acceptance rate of 18 Washington colleges we cover. Schools around it:

Rank	College	Acceptance	Graduation	Avg. net price
10	Seattle Pacific University	83%	62%	$24,488
11	Washington State University	87%	61%	$14,971
12	Whitworth University	90%	71%	$26,534
13	Saint Martin's University	90%	52%	$28,119
14	University of Washington-Bothell Campus	91%	65%	$12,319
15	Central Washington University	91%	54%	$18,476
16	Eastern Washington University	91%	43%	$13,886
17	Western Washington University	93%	65%	$21,193
18	The Evergreen State College	96%	41%	$24,319

College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class. All Washington colleges →

Who enrolls at CWU

First-year students who return for year two70%

First-year students from Washington93%

Pell Grant recipients28%

First-generation students40%

Women / men53% / 47%

International students2%

College Scorecard; IPEDS

CWU admissions questions

What is the CWU acceptance rate?

Central Washington University accepts 91% of applicants, most. For the Fall 2023 entering class, 6,161 of 6,829 applicants were admitted.

Does CWU require the SAT or ACT?

Central Washington University does not consider SAT or ACT scores (test-blind), according to its federal admissions report for Fall 2023.

How many admitted students enroll at CWU?

25% of admitted students enrolled in Fall 2023 (1,568 of 6,161).

Is CWU getting harder to get into?

Central Washington University accepted 91% of applicants for Fall 2024, compared with 90% for Fall 2023.

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS Admissions; years shown with each figure. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Back to Central Washington University overview

Central Washington University acceptance rate & admissions