More selective than 85% of Maryland colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $34,309. College Scorecard.
Higher than 8% of Maryland colleges we cover and 11% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 60% of Maryland colleges we cover and 79% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
WAU acceptance rate & admissions
Of 1,691 applicants, Washington Adventist University admitted 767 and 106 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 860–1130 on the SAT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
WAU tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What WAU costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Washington Adventist University took 4.5 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Maryland. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $17,534 | $79,078 | 2.9 years |
| $30–48k | $15,160 | $68,372 | 2.5 years |
| $48–75k | $19,311 | $87,093 | 3.2 years |
| $75–110k | $22,090 | $99,626 | 3.6 years |
| $110k+ | $21,480 | $96,875 | 3.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (25% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($64,249) minus $36,731 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MD (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $27,518 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
WAU majors, earnings & careers
Washington Adventist University offers 39 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Health & Medicine · 8
- Humanities & Languages · 7
- Science & Math · 5
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 5
- Education · 4
- Business & Finance · 3
- Communications & Media · 3
- Technology & Computing · 3
- Arts & Design · 1
Highest-earning majors at WAU
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $94,173 | $47,033 |
Quick list of all 39 majors
- Accounting—
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
- Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology—
- Business Administration—
- Business Operations Support and Assistant Services—
- Chemistry—
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other—
- Communications—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Computer Science—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Education, Other—
- English—
- Health Administration—
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other—
- History—
- Information Science / Studies—
- Journalism—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Mathematics—
- Medical Laboratory Science—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Nursing$94,173
- Physics—
- Political Science—
- Psychology—
- Psychology (Clinical / Counseling)—
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences—
- Religious Education—
- Religious Studies—
- Social Work—
- Sociology—
- Special Education—
- Theology / Ministry—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Communications → Public relations specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Washington
Overall prices in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $2,438. Housing costs 51% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 48 inches of rain a year, 16 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: river flooding (relatively high); heat wave (relatively high); winter weather (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Montgomery County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Montgomery County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare WAU with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Maryland by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Adventist University | 46% | $18,526 | 29% | $64,249 | This school |
| Ner Israel Rabbinical College | 66% | $13,572 | 24% | $66,330 | |
| St. John's College | 55% | $45,597 | 71% | $51,584 | |
| Washington College | 57% | $27,898 | 65% | $65,518 | |
| Capitol Technology University | 74% | $22,102 | 43% | $85,035 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Washington Adventist University would cost you $4,954 more per year than Ner Israel Rabbinical College, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Washington Adventist University, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$16,004).
- Washington Adventist University gives aided families $2,605 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Maryland resident | WAU | Ner Israel Rabbinical College | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $26,604 | $10,600 | +$16,004 |
| Books & supplies | $1,200 | $250 | +$950 |
| Housing & meals | $10,440 | $7,600 | +$2,840 |
| Personal & travel | $1,000 | $4,500 | −$3,500 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$4,935 | +$3,800 | −$8,735 |
| Sticker price | $34,309 | $26,750 | +$7,559 |
| Average grants | −$15,783 | −$13,178 | −$2,605 |
| You pay | $18,526 | $13,572 | +$4,954 |
“+” means WAU costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about WAU
What is the WAU acceptance rate?
Washington Adventist University accepts 46% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 767 of 1,691 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 860–1130 on the SAT.
How much does Washington Adventist University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $34,309 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $18,526 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $17,534 and families earning $110k+ pay $21,480.
How much do WAU graduates earn?
Former Washington Adventist University students earn a median $64,249 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the WAU graduation rate?
29% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 64% return for their second year.
How long does a WAU degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Washington Adventist University costs about $87,093 after grants ($19,311 a year for 4.5 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $64,249 ten years after starting, $27,518 more than high school graduates in Maryland ($36,731), so the cost is repaid in 3.2 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is WAU the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing WAU with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Washington Adventist University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/washington-adventist-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).