Public · University

Western Washington University

Bellingham, Washington · Small city

93.3%
Admit rate
$21,193
Avg net price
65%
Graduation rate
$62,569
Median earnings

Western Washington University is a public bachelor's-granting institution in Bellingham, Washington (small city setting), enrolling 13,544 undergraduates.

PublicMidsize · 13,544 undergradsSmall cityAccessible · 93% admitNCAA Division II without footballNear the coast

Will you get in?

See where your numbers land against Western Washington University's admitted students.

Admit rate
93.3%
SAT (mid 50%)
1150–1390
Avg GPA (est.)
3.57

Enter a test score to see where you land against Western Washington University's admitted students.

A guide, not a prediction. It compares your numbers with the middle 50% of admitted students and Western Washington University's overall admit rate — it can't see essays, recommendations, activities, or your intended major, which all move real decisions.

About Bellingham, Washington

Bellingham is a city in and the county seat of Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. The Lummi, Nooksack, Samish, and Nuwhaha in particular fished in Bellingham Bay and shared the hunting and gathering grounds in the nearby forests and prairies. The Ski to Sea race is a team relay race made up of seven legs: cross country skiing, downhill skiing (or snowboarding), running, road biking, canoeing (2 person), mountain biking, and kayaking. (Wikipedia)

Setting
Small city
Highest degree offered
Graduate
Nearest big city
79 miles to Seattle, WA
To the ocean
1 mile
Nearest airport
4 miles to Bellingham (BLI)

How Western Washington University compares

View 69 more ranking appearances
#9 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in Washington #10 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in Washington #6 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in Washington #11 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in Washington #79 · Best Colleges in the West #91 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in the West #72 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in the West #84 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in the West #59 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in the West #86 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in the West #36 · Best Public Universities in the West #69 · Best Colleges on the West Coast #50 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price on the West Coast #57 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates on the West Coast #67 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates on the West Coast #42 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt on the West Coast #55 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price on the West Coast #31 · Best Public Universities on the West Coast #69 · Best Colleges in the Pacific Region #56 · Colleges with the Lowest Net Price in the Pacific Region #57 · Colleges with the Highest Graduation Rates in the Pacific Region #68 · Colleges with the Highest Retention Rates in the Pacific Region #45 · Colleges with the Lowest Student Debt in the Pacific Region #61 · Colleges with the Highest Earnings Relative to Net Price in the Pacific Region #31 · Best Public Universities in the Pacific Region #79 · Bachelor's Business Administration, Management and Operations Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #49 · Bachelor's Business Administration, Management and Operations Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #69 · Bachelor's Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #95 · Bachelor's Psychology, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #83 · Bachelor's Biology, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #29 · Bachelor's Computer and Information Sciences, General Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #52 · Bachelor's Computer and Information Sciences, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #24 · Bachelor's Computer and Information Sciences, General Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #20 · Bachelor's Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #10 · Bachelor's Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #32 · Bachelor's Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #49 · Bachelor's Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #58 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #66 · Bachelor's Communication and Media Studies Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #34 · Bachelor's Marketing Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #53 · Bachelor's Marketing Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #83 · Bachelor's Economics Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #39 · Bachelor's Design and Applied Arts Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #31 · Bachelor's Design and Applied Arts Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #21 · Bachelor's Design and Applied Arts Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #21 · Bachelor's Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #89 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #97 · Bachelor's Fine and Studio Arts Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #88 · Bachelor's Sociology Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #93 · Bachelor's English Language and Literature, General Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #11 · Bachelor's Biological and Physical Sciences Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #30 · Bachelor's Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #68 · Bachelor's Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #58 · Bachelor's History Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #86 · Bachelor's Mathematics Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #83 · Bachelor's Mathematics Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #14 · Bachelor's Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #38 · Bachelor's Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #74 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #71 · Bachelor's Natural Resources Conservation and Research Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #41 · Bachelor's Music Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #52 · Bachelor's Music Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #64 · Bachelor's Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #48 · Bachelor's Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #61 · Bachelor's Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings #33 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Highest First-Year Earnings #29 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Highest Five-Year Earnings #92 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Lowest Student Debt #40 · Bachelor's Chemistry Programs with the Lowest Debt Relative to Earnings
Selectivity93.3%

More selective than 17% · #19 most selective of 21 in Washington

SAT average1289

Higher than 78%

Graduation rate65%

Higher than 68% · #10 of 25 in Washington

First-year retention79%

Higher than 60%

Earnings, 10 years after entry$62,569

Higher than 72% · #13 of 27 in Washington

Average net price$21,193

Cheaper than 44% · #11 cheapest of 25 in Washington

Median debt at graduation$18,500

Lower than 83%

Student–faculty ratio18 : 1

Lower than 18%

Undergraduate enrollment13,544

Larger than 92%

Percentiles compare Western Washington University with the nation's 2,196 four-year colleges, among schools reporting each statistic. State ranks count four-year colleges in Washington.

Student body

Undergraduate vs. graduate

14,502students
  • Undergraduate13,54493%
  • Graduate9587%

Undergraduates by gender

13,544undergrads
  • Women8,12660%
  • Men5,41840%

Undergraduates by race / ethnicity

  • White69%
  • Black2.0%
  • Hispanic11%
  • Asian5.9%
  • Other or multiracial12%

Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.

By the numbers

Undergraduate enrollment
13,544
Graduate enrollment
958
Student–faculty ratio
18 : 1
Pell Grant recipients
21%
First-generation students
27%
Students over 25
7%
Median family income
$51,312
Avg faculty salary (academic year)
$106,218
Endowment
$125,985,155

Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.

Where students come from

Home state of the 3,184 first-year students who entered in fall 2023.

  • From Washington83%
  • Other U.S. states16%
  • International0.8%

Most first-years stay in state — Western Washington University draws overwhelmingly from Washington.

1% came from outside the U.S. Out-of-state students usually pay a higher tuition rate at public schools — check the cost card above for your bracket. Source: IPEDS residence & migration, fall 2023 entering class.

Admissions

Admission rate
93.3%
Test scores
Considered but not required
SAT range (25th–75th %)
1150–1390
SAT average
1289
SAT reading
590–710
SAT math
560–680
ACT composite
24–31
Average GPA (estimated)
3.57

Cost

In-state tuition
$9,582
Out-of-state tuition
$28,707
Room & board
$15,747
Books & supplies
$1,224
Total cost of attendance
$30,359
Average net price
$21,193

Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.

Outcomes

Graduated (within 6 years)
65%
Graduated on time (4 years)
40%
First-year retention
79%
Transferred to another college
0%
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$45,272
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$62,569
Median debt at graduation
$18,500
Students with federal loans
29%
Paying down their loans (1 year in)
69%

About 24% of students who finish here need more than four years — each extra year adds roughly another year of tuition and living costs.

Graduating on time

By student background (4 years)

All students
40%
Low-income (Pell)
59%
First-generation
57%

When these bars run close together, students from every background tend to finish at similar rates — a sign the school supports the ~30% who are first-gen or low-income.

Campus life & athletics

On-campus housing
Yes
Dorm capacity
4,196
Dorm capacity vs undergrads
31%
Application fee
$70
Athletics
NCAA Division II without football
Varsity athletes
488 (246 men · 242 women)

Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.

Varsity sports (7)

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)315
Soccer56
Basketball31
Rowing27
Softball21
Golf19
Volleyball19

Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.

Campus safety

Safety grade
C
Reported offenses per 1,000 students
3.3 / year
Violent offenses (2022–2024)
68
Property offenses (2022–2024)
78

On-campus criminal offenses reported under the Clery Act, 2022–2024, across 7 campuses (14,710 students). Counts reflect reports, not convictions — schools with strong reporting cultures often show more, so a higher count doesn't simply mean a more dangerous campus.

Reported offenses in an average year

The same 2022–2024 Clery Act reports, divided down to one year.

49reported offenses a year
23 violent a year26 property a year

By offense type, per year

Motor vehicle theft
18
Rape
17
Burglary
7.0
Fondling
3.7
Arson
1.0
Statutory rape
0.7
Robbery
0.7
Aggravated assault
0.3

Averages, not a forecast — a single year can run well above or below this. Bars are scaled against this campus's most-reported offense, so they compare types here rather than against other schools.

What you'll actually pay, by family income

Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.

< $30k
$12,915
$30–48k
$14,147
$48–75k
$17,539
$75–110k
$24,301
$110k+
$27,984

College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.

Four-year (or more) true cost

Net price for your family's income, projected across the time it actually takes students here to graduate.

Est. total to a degree
$79,985

$17,539/year × about 4.6 years — most students here don't finish in exactly four, and each extra term adds cost. A planning estimate from net-price and graduation-timing data, not a bill.

Does the school pay you to attend?

Grant aid from the school's own funds — the discount off sticker, on top of any federal or state help.

89%
of first-years get a grant from the school
$3,996
average award, among those who get one

Modest institutional aid: 89% of freshmen get a grant from the school, averaging $3,996. Most of what lowers the price here is federal or state money, not the school's own funds.

Blends need-based and merit aid — IPEDS doesn't split the two, so a high number can mean generous merit scholarships, deep need-based aid, or both. Figures cover 3,143 full-time first-year undergraduates, 2022–23. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid.

Is it worth it?

A rough return-on-investment read from what graduates earn versus what they borrow.

Median earnings (10 years)
$62,569
Typical debt at graduation
$18,500
Debt vs. one year's pay
30%
Out-earn a HS grad
65%

Typical debt would take roughly 3.0 years to repay at about a tenth of median earnings.

Strong value

Graduates here tend to earn well relative to what they borrow — typical debt pays back fast, and most out-earn a high-school graduate.

Earnings are the College Scorecard median for former students (working, not enrolled) 10 years after entry — not a guarantee, and they vary a lot by major. Debt is the median federal loan balance at graduation.

The pay gap here

Median earnings 10 years after entry, split by gender.

Women
$59,384
Men
$69,178

Men out-earn women by $9,794 (16%) a decade out.

Federal figures for former students working and not enrolled, 10 years after they first entered. A gap this wide usually reflects which majors men and women here tend to choose — not different pay for the same job.

Campus climate

Summer high
75°F
Winter low
35°F
Annual rain
36″
Annual snow
3.4″

Average temperature

HighLow
30°60°80°JFMAMJJASOND

Average precipitation (inches)

0.02.95.7JFMAMJJASOND

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Bellingham 3 Ssw, WA US station (1.8 mi from campus).

Median earnings of this school's own graduates 1 and 5 years after finishing each program, and median federal-loan debt at completion (College Scorecard). Small programs are privacy-suppressed (—). Click a major to compare colleges nationally.

Colleges similar to Western Washington University

Schools with a comparable profile — size, selectivity, cost, and graduate outcomes. Compare Western Washington University side by side →

Colleges near Western Washington University

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard (most recent cohorts), IPEDS institutional characteristics, Equity in Athletics (EADA) data, Clery Act Campus Safety and Security data, and NOAA US Climate Normals. Distances are straight-line from campus coordinates. Percentiles compare schools of the same level (four-year vs. two-year) that report each statistic.