More selective than 55% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $42,972. College Scorecard.
Higher than 70% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 78% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 81% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 83% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
W&J acceptance rate & admissions
Of 3,218 applicants, Washington & Jefferson College admitted 2,624 and 314 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
W&J 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
State aid: Pennsylvania residents with financial need may receive a PA State Grant: up to $6,000 a year in 2026-27 at approved colleges, depending on need and the college. Not included in the prices above. Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), PA State Grant
What W&J costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Washington & Jefferson College took 4.1 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 Pennsylvania. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $15,265 | $62,892 | 2.0 years |
| $30–48k | $13,958 | $57,507 | 1.8 years |
| $48–75k | $18,975 | $78,177 | 2.4 years |
| $75–110k | $32,322 | $133,167 | 4.1 years |
| $110k+ | $29,655 | $122,179 | 3.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (63% 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 ($67,918) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $32,121 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.
W&J majors, earnings & careers
Washington & Jefferson College offers 32 bachelor's majors across 8 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 10
- Science & Math · 7
- Business & Finance · 5
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 4
- Arts & Design · 2
- Education · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at W&J
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | $83,516 | $27,000 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $79,272 | — |
| Economics | $72,305 | $27,000 |
| Business | $72,219 | $26,085 |
| Communications | $68,066 | $27,000 |
| Political Science | $63,258 | $27,000 |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | $61,972 | $27,000 |
| Psychology | $57,026 | $27,000 |
Quick list of all 32 majors
- Accounting$83,516
- Biochemistry—
- Biology—
- Business$72,219
- Chemistry—
- Communications$68,066
- Computer and Information Sciences$79,272
- Economics$72,305
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English$50,646
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Finance—
- German—
- History—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- International / Global Studies—
- International Business—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Mathematics—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Neuroscience—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$63,258
- Psychology$57,026
- Public Policy Analysis—
- Sociology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages$61,972
- Studio Art—
— 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 →Business → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Accounting → Accountant / auditor
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.0% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Pittsburgh
Overall prices in the Pittsburgh, PA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,389. Housing costs 28% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 41 inches of rain a year, 32 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, Washington County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Washington County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare W&J with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Pennsylvania 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 & Jefferson College | 81% | $25,002 | 70% | $67,918 | This school |
| Seton Hill University | 80% | $22,204 | 67% | $51,748 | |
| Juniata College | 79% | $23,988 | 74% | $56,918 | |
| Immaculata University | 86% | $24,258 | 71% | $75,701 | |
| Arcadia University | 80% | $29,466 | 67% | $58,336 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Washington & Jefferson College would cost you $2,798 more per year than Seton Hill University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Washington & Jefferson College, mostly from lower tuition & fees (−$13,552).
- Seton Hill University gives aided families $16,009 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Pennsylvania resident | W&J | Seton Hill University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $29,392 | $42,944 | −$13,552 |
| Books & supplies | $1,000 | $1,200 | −$200 |
| Housing & meals | $13,910 | $13,778 | +$132 |
| Personal & travel | $1,200 | $2,500 | −$1,300 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,530 | −$4,239 | +$1,709 |
| Sticker price | $42,972 | $56,183 | −$13,211 |
| Average grants | −$17,970 | −$33,979 | +$16,009 |
| You pay | $25,002 | $22,204 | +$2,798 |
“+” means W&J 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 W&J
What is the W&J acceptance rate?
Washington & Jefferson College accepts 81% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 2,624 of 3,218 applicants were admitted.
How much does Washington & Jefferson College cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $42,972 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $25,002 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $15,265 and families earning $110k+ pay $29,655.
How much do W&J graduates earn?
Former Washington & Jefferson College students earn a median $67,918 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the W&J graduation rate?
70% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 81% return for their second year.
How long does a W&J degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Washington & Jefferson College costs about $78,177 after grants ($18,975 a year for 4.1 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $67,918 ten years after starting, $32,121 more than high school graduates in Pennsylvania ($35,797), so the cost is repaid in 2.4 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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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 & Jefferson College: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/washington-and-jefferson-college (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).