More selective than 98% of Missouri colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $88,488. College Scorecard.
Higher than 98% of Missouri colleges we cover and 98% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 98% of Missouri colleges we cover and 95% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Washington University in St Louis acceptance rate & admissions
Of 32,240 applicants, Washington University in St Louis admitted 3,855 and 1,828 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1500–1570 on the SAT or 33–35 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Washington University in St Louis 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 Washington University in St Louis costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Washington University in St Louis 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 Missouri. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $1,716 | $7,018 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $1,928 | $7,886 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $5,578 | $22,814 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $12,603 | $51,546 | 1.0 years |
| $110k+ | $42,170 | $172,475 | 3.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (87% 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 ($86,182) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $50,744 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.
Washington University in St Louis majors, earnings & careers
Washington University in St Louis offers 88 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 20
- Science & Math · 17
- Engineering · 12
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 10
- Business & Finance · 9
- Arts & Design · 6
- Communications & Media · 4
- Health & Medicine · 4
- Education · 3
- Technology & Computing · 3
Highest-earning majors at Washington University in St Louis
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Finance | $185,551 | $19,250 |
| Computer Science | $177,066 | $15,500 |
| Business Economics | $162,355 | — |
| Systems Engineering | $119,297 | $20,500 |
| Chemical Engineering | $107,843 | $19,500 |
| Economics | $102,439 | $14,110 |
| Marketing | $100,489 | $17,500 |
| Mathematics | $98,497 | $18,700 |
Quick list of all 88 majors
- Accounting—
- Anthropology$71,018
- Applied Mathematics—
- Archeology—
- Architectural Sciences and Technology—
- Architecture—
- Area Studies—
- Astronomy and Astrophysics—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$68,359
- Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology—
- Biomedical Engineering—
- Business Administration—
- Business Economics$162,355
- Chemical Engineering$107,843
- Chemistry—
- Classical and Ancient Studies—
- Classics—
- Cognitive Science$67,212
- Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other—
- Communications—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Computer Engineering—
- Computer Science$177,066
- Dance—
- East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean)—
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology—
- Economics$102,439
- Economics and Computer Science—
- Education—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Electrical Engineering—
- Engineering—
- Engineering-Related Fields—
- Engineering, Other—
- English—
- Entrepreneurship—
- Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy—
- Environmental Engineering—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography—
- Finance$185,551
- Geology / Earth Science—
- German—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$67,771
- Health Administration—
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other—
- Health Sciences—
- History—
- Human Resources—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- International / Global Studies$66,498
- International Relations—
- Iranian / Persian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics—
- Journalism—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Linguistics—
- Management Information Systems—
- Marketing$100,489
- Mathematics$98,497
- Mathematics and Computer Science—
- Mechanical Engineering$95,965
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology—
- Middle / Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Neuroscience—
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Political Science$90,778
- Pre-Med / Pre-Health—
- Psychology$91,787
- Psychology (Clinical / Counseling)—
- Psychology (Research)$75,261
- Psychology, Other—
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Religious Studies—
- Sociology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Statistics—
- Studio Art—
- Sustainability Studies—
- Systems Engineering$119,297
- Theatre—
- Urban Studies / Affairs—
- Writing—
— 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 →Computer Science → Software developer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Finance → Financial analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 7.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in St. Louis
Overall prices in the St. Louis, MO-IL area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,349. Housing costs 21% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 44 inches of rain a year, 17 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high); heat wave (very high); winter weather (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, St. Louis County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
St. Louis County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Washington University in St Louis with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Missouri 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 University in St Louis | 12% | $21,786 | 94% | $86,182 | This school |
| College of the Ozarks | 12% | $6,100 | 64% | $41,592 | |
| William Jewell College | 38% | $17,562 | 68% | $59,268 | |
| Saint Louis University | 75% | $24,398 | 80% | $70,783 | |
| Lindenwood University | 57% | $19,638 | 49% | $53,278 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Washington University in St Louis would cost you $15,686 more per year than College of the Ozarks, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Washington University in St Louis, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$43,470).
- Washington University in St Louis gives aided families $39,068 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Missouri resident | Washington University in St Louis | College of the Ozarks | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $65,790 | $22,320 | +$43,470 |
| Books & supplies | $1,264 | $1,100 | +$164 |
| Housing & meals | $20,778 | $8,500 | +$12,278 |
| Personal & travel | $3,464 | $2,844 | +$620 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,808 | −$1,030 | −$1,778 |
| Sticker price | $88,488 | $33,734 | +$54,754 |
| Average grants | −$66,702 | −$27,634 | −$39,068 |
| You pay | $21,786 | $6,100 | +$15,686 |
“+” means Washington University in St Louis 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 Washington University in St Louis
What is the Washington University in St Louis acceptance rate?
Washington University in St Louis accepts 12% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 3,855 of 32,240 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1500–1570 on the SAT or 33–35 on the ACT.
How much does Washington University in St Louis cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $88,488 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $21,786 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $1,716 and families earning $110k+ pay $42,170.
How much do Washington University in St Louis graduates earn?
Former Washington University in St Louis students earn a median $86,182 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Washington University in St Louis graduation rate?
94% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 95% return for their second year.
How long does a Washington University in St Louis degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Washington University in St Louis costs about $22,814 after grants ($5,578 a year for 4.1 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $86,182 ten years after starting, $50,744 more than high school graduates in Missouri ($35,438), so the cost is repaid in under 1 year 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 University in St Louis: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/washington-university-in-st-louis (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).