Admit rate has ranged 12%–16% over the last 5 years. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) is a midwestern Ivy with a reputation for rigorous academics, a collaborative culture, and a stunning campus. Known for its strong pre-med and engineering programs, WashU combines the resources of a top-tier research university with the feel of a tight-knit liberal arts college. Its generous financial aid and no-loan policy make it surprisingly accessible for a school of its caliber.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Letters of recommendation
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Grade point average
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
College-prep program
Demonstrated competencies
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
7,857
In-state tuition
$65,790
Out-of-state tuition
$65,790
Acceptance Rate
12-13%
Graduation Rate
93%
Student-Faculty Ratio
7:1
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
$78K
Need-Based Aid Recipients
44%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$86,182
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
4.0×
Median debt at graduation
$17,500
Graduation rate
94%
First-year retention
95%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
88%
Pell (lower-income) share
42%
First-generation share
11%
Endowment / student
$1,528,067
Financial health
2.4 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Computer Science$99,517
Finance and Financial Management Services$91,744
Marketing$78,896
Systems Engineering$78,343
Mechanical Engineering$67,995
Chemical Engineering$61,516
Economics
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
8
Per 1,000 students
1.02
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
79
Summer high
86°F
Winter low
28°F
Annual rain
56.2"
Annual snow
14.5"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively High
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
1,852
Scholarly works
254,615
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
1.0%
Bottom → top quintile
54%
From bottom quintile
2%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Washington University in St Louis?
Washington University in St Louis's acceptance rate is approximately 12% (St. Louis, MO), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Washington University in St Louis?
Admitted students at Washington University in St Louis typically score 1500–1570 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Washington University in St Louis cost?
At Washington University in St Louis, the average net price (after aid) is about $21,786 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Washington University in St Louis?
Washington University in St Louis enrolls approximately 7,857 undergraduate students.
Where is Washington University in St Louis located?
Washington University in St Louis is located in St. Louis, MO.
Admissions
WashU is fiercely selective, with an Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. hovering around 12-13% (sources vary slightly). The middle 50% SAT range is 1500-1570, and the ACT range is 33-35, placing admitted students in the top percentile nationally. While Test-optionalA policy where you choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. If you don't, the rest of your application carries more weight., 58% of applicants submitted test scores in recent cycles. The average admitted GPA is a near-perfect 3.92 unweighted, reflecting WashU's emphasis on academic rigor. Notably, the university awarded $2.2 million in aid to just 33 international students in one recent year, highlighting both its global reach and limited need-based support for non-domestic applicants.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
$44,572
Design and Applied Arts$41,205
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
WashU offers over 150 fields of study across its five undergraduate divisions, with particular strength in pre-med, engineering, and architecture. The university encourages interdisciplinary exploration—non-design majors can take studio art classes, for example. Research opportunities abound, even for freshmen, thanks to WashU's status as a top-tier research institution (it houses one of the world's leading medical schools). The curriculum balances depth with flexibility: students can double major across schools or craft individualized programs. Small class sizes (the student-faculty ratio is 7:1) foster close mentorship, though some Reddit users note STEM workloads can be intense.
Life at WashU revolves around its gorgeous, collegiate-gothic campus (often compared to a country club) and collaborative, low-ego student body. The social scene is more about club hopping in the nearby Delmar Loop than Greek life—only 30% of students join frats/sororities. Dorms are famously luxurious (think: hardwood floors and AC), easing the transition for first-years. Students praise the lack of cutthroat competition, even in pre-med, and the abundance of research labs, art studios, and performance spaces. The surrounding St. Louis neighborhood offers museums, concerts, and a thriving food scene, though some wish the campus felt more integrated with the city.
WashU's 93% graduation rate and strong career support YieldThe share of admitted students who actually choose to enroll. Colleges watch it closely, which is why some weigh how interested you seem. impressive results: 89% of the Class of 2024 secured jobs or grad school placements within six months. Median earnings hit $78K at six years post-graduation, climbing to $86K at the 10-year mark. Pre-professional tracks shine—nearly 40% of law grads land BigLaw jobs, while med school Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. far exceed national averages. The average debt at graduation is just $18K, well below the national average, thanks to WashU's robust aid.
With a sticker price north of $80K, WashU seems daunting—but its no-loan policy and generous aid make it more accessible than peers. The average net price is $23,432 after grants, and 44% of students receive need-based aid. Families earning under $75K pay nothing, while those under $150K get significant tuition discounts. Merit scholarships (like the prestigious Danforth Scholars program) further reduce costs. WashU's aid calculators provide personalized estimates, and the financial aid office is known for accommodating special circumstances.
WashU manages to be both elite and unpretentious—a "midwestern Ivy" where pre-meds cheer for DIII sports and architecture students picnic under the Brookings Hall arches. Its undergraduate focus sets it apart from research powerhouses like Johns Hopkins; its collaborative culture contrasts with the stress of Chicago or Columbia. The university punches above its weight in medical research and design, while the Olin Business School feeds grads into top firms. For students who want rigor without cutthroat competition, a stunning campus without rural isolation, and St. Louis' cultural perks without urban chaos, WashU is a golden mean.
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