R1 ResearchPrivate nonprofitMedical

Washington University in St Louis

St. Louis, Missouri·Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above·Plains·washu.edu
6-yr Graduation
94%
—
Total enrollment
16,357
peer median 15,726
Avg net price
$21,786
-$4.9k vs R1 Research
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AdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeCommon Data Set

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
32,754
32,754 candidates competed
Admitted
3,951
12.1% acceptance rate
Enrolled
1,847
46.7% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
94%
4-year graduation
85%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
94%
Full-time retention
95%

Pell equity

2.7pp gap
Pell recipients
92%235 of 256
Non-Pell (all)
95%1440 of 1521
Subsidized loan, no Pell
94%205 of 217
No Federal Aid
95%1235 of 1304

Non-Pell students graduate at a 2.7-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 258 Title IV programs, 35 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 223 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
258
Passing
35
13.6% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

258programs
  • Passing35 · 13.6%
  • No Data223 · 86.4%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
0
Safe
35
No data
223

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

35
Biology General
Master's Degree · Biological And Biomedical Sciences
+27.0%
$68,165 vs $53,672
Public Health
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+27.9%
$76,874 vs $60,112
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+28.0%
$76,963 vs $60,112
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies
Master's Degree · Legal Professions And Studies
+32.6%
$72,301 vs $54,534
Architectural Sciences and Technology
Master's Degree · Architecture And Related Services
+34.7%
$80,963 vs $60,112
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
First Professional Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+35.1%
$81,216 vs $60,112
Social Work
Master's Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
+38.2%
$63,805 vs $46,158
Behavioral Sciences
Master's Degree · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
+41.6%
$75,887 vs $53,607

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

26
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
First Professional Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
147%
$119,594 debt · $81,216 earn
Architectural Sciences and Technology
Master's Degree · Architecture And Related Services
134%
$108,162 debt · $80,963 earn
Behavioral Sciences
Master's Degree · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
122%
$92,922 debt · $75,887 earn
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
112%
$86,493 debt · $76,963 earn
Medicine
First Professional Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
110%
$99,000 debt · $90,449 earn
Social Work
Master's Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
90%
$57,535 debt · $63,805 earn
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies
Master's Degree · Legal Professions And Studies
77%
$55,480 debt · $72,301 earn
Law
First Professional Degree · Legal Professions And Studies
68%
$96,448 debt · $141,243 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1913Next review Aug 2035

Programmatic accreditations · 12

Action history · 12

  1. Aug 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    American Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education · Occupational Therapy (OTD) - Programs leading to a Doctoral Degree
  2. Jul 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology · Clinical doctoral program in Audiology
  3. Apr 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    American Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education · Occupational Therapy (OTM) - Programs leading to a Master's Degree
  4. Jan 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Higher Learning Commission
  5. Jun 2023Renewal of Accreditation
    Liaison Committee on Medical Education · Medicine (MED) - Programs leading to the M.D. degree

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$1,716
$30–48k$1,928
$48–75k$5,578
$75–110k$12,603
$110k+$42,170

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price (private)
$21,786
-$4,908vs R1 Research median $26,695
Federal loans
11.8%
In-state tuition
$65,790
Out-of-state
$65,790

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 1,847 students received $11.5M in Pell grants, alongside $53.5M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
1,847
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$11.5M
$11,513,439 total
Direct Loans
$53.5M
2,823 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

1k
’20
1k
’21
1k
’22
1k
’23
2k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$1.1M
285 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$1.5M
340 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$26.5M
1,333 loan awards
Parent PLUS$3.6M
110 loan awards
Grad PLUS$20.8M
755 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 1,612 borrowers who entered repayment, 7 (0.4%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
0.4%
-1.9pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
1,612
Defaulted
7
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
1.5%
2017
1.4%
2018
1.1%
2019
0.4%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at WASHU

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs195
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

5,013 total completions
01Business
1,15623.1%
02Engineering
71614.3%
03Legal Professions
51710.3%
04Biological Sciences
4609.2%
05Social Sciences
4408.8%
06Multi/Interdisciplinary
3817.6%
07Computer Sciences
3807.6%
08Mathematics
3667.3%
09Health Professions
3597.2%
10Psychology
2384.7%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
16,357
12-mo unduplicated
17,558
Undergraduate
8,979
Graduate
8,579

Gender split

Men
47%8,281
Women
53%9,277

Race / ethnicity composition

White
39.7%
Asian
20.9%
Hispanic
13.2%
Non-resident
9.0%
Black
8.7%
Two or more
6.2%
Unknown
2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.1%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
519
294 M · 225 W
Women athletes
43.4%
Athletic aid
$0
Total student aid
Budget
$10.7M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$0
$0
Recruiting expense
$60K
$52K
Head-coach salaries
$91K
$79K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 10

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
134 M · 161 W
$829K
Football
106 M · —
$849K
Swimming and Diving (combined)
33 M · 39 W
$467K
Soccer
33 M · 32 W
$808K
Basketball
18 M · 17 W
$1.1M
Baseball
35 M · —
$397K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
4.24
70 offenses · 16,500 students

3-year trend

5.602 yrs ago8.521 yr ago4.24Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
310
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
79
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
6
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
11

Criminal offenses by type

Motor vehicle theft
40
Aggravated assault
10
Burglary
9
Rape
5
Fondling
3
Robbery
2
Arson
1

By location

70total
  • On campus44
  • Non-campus22
  • Public property4

Includes 6 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

8
Domestic violence
3
Dating violence
10
Stalking
21 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

  • Religion2
  • Race1

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons90
Drugs930
Liquor2230

Residence-hall fires

  • Gregg House1 fire
    CookingDamage $0-$99
  • Lee Hall1 fire
    CookingDamage $0-$99
  • Millbrook 41 fire
    CookingDamage $0-$99
  • Wheeler House1 fire
    Open flamesDamage $100-$999
  • Lofts 21 fire
    CookingDamage $0-$99
  • Lofts 31 fire
    CookingDamage $0-$99

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
7.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
1,945

WASHU vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions WASHU selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectWashington University in St Louis
94%—16,357$21,786R1 Research
Duke University
97%5.7%17,499$29,612R1 Research
Carnegie Mellon University
94%11.7%15,888$31,944R1 Research
Yale University
96%3.9%15,564$23,777R1 Research
Boston College
91%16.4%15,432$41,704R1 Research
Emory University
91%10.6%15,175$22,585R1 Research
Peer group median94%10.6%15,726$26,695

Institutions like WASHU

Explore the federal data for institutions in WASHU's comparison group.

IPEDS

WASHU Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Research
Reports to Office of the Provost
Email
provost [at] wustl.edu
Phone
314-935-3000
Address
229 N. Brookings Hall, MSC 1072-0105-02, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899

The Institutional Effectiveness Team at Washington University in St. Louis is part of the Office of the Provost. The page provides contact information, including an address and phone number, and lists team members such as Nancy Mueller, the Associate Provost for Institutional Effectiveness. Key links related to strategic planning and institutional data are also provided.

Visit IR office page
Team
15 members
  • Soophia Ansari
    Data Visualization Designer
  • Mike Cahill
    Senior Data Analyst
  • Jacob Clay
    Portfolio Coordinator
  • Diana Curran
    Senior Director of Institutional Effectiveness
  • Cici Du
    Statistical Data Analyst
  • Jenine Harris
    Senior Data Scientist
  • Lulu Li
    Change Specialist
  • Gina Magharious
    Senior Data Analyst
  • Nancy Mueller
    Associate Provost for Institutional Effectiveness
  • Lilly Murphy
    Project Coordinator
  • Renée Racette
    Director of Strategic Projects and Operations
  • Keith Steinbrueck
    Senior Reporting Analyst
  • Rebecca Vitale
    Project Coordinator
  • Pam Wald
    Senior Data Analyst
  • Ali York
    Evaluation Specialist

Common Data Set

WASHU's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Acceptance rate
12.0%
Highly selective
Yield
46.7%
of admitted students enroll
Total enrollment
16,357
8,220 UG · 8,137 grad
6-yr graduation rate
94%
First-year retention
95%
Student–faculty ratio
7 to 1
Est. net price (aided)
$25,372
after avg need-based grant
01

Selectivity & Admissions

Admissions funnel

C1
Applied
32,754
Admitted
3,951
Enrolled
1,847

32,754 applied → 3,951 admitted (12.0%) → 1,847 enrolled.

Selectivity

C1
Acceptance rate
12.0%

Highly selective — 12.0% acceptance rate.

Admit rate by gender

C1
male12.5%
female11.7%
another gender7.7%

Admit rate varies by gender.

SAT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
1500
Median
1540
75th
1570

Middle 50% SAT 1500–1570 (median 1540).

ACT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
33
Median
34
75th
35

Middle 50% ACT 33–35 (median 34).

High-school class rank

C10
Top tenth86%
Top quarter98%
Top half100%

Share of enrolled first-years by HS class-rank band.

What matters in admission

C7
Very Important3
Rigor of secondary school recordClass rankAcademic GPA
Important2
Standardized test scoresExtracurricular activities
Considered7
Application EssayRecommendation(s)Talent/abilityCharacter/personal qualitiesFirst generationVolunteer workWork experience
Not Considered6
InterviewAlumni/ae relationGeographical residenceState residencyReligious affiliation/commitmentLevel of applicant’s interest

Relative importance of each admission factor.

02

Affordability & Value

Cost of attendance

G
Total$96,984
Tuition
$68,24070%
Fees
$1,3541%
Room & board
$23,33824%
Books
$1,3571%
Other
$2,6953%

Total sticker cost of attendance is $96,984 (2025-2026).

Sticker vs. net price

G+H
Sticker COA
$96,984
Net (aided)
$25,372
Avg need grant
$71,612

Sticker $96,984 → about $25,372 net for aided students after the average need-based grant ($71,612); 100% of demonstrated need is met.

Where grant aid comes from

H1
Institutional87.7%
State6.6%
Federal4.4%
External1.3%

88% of need-based grant dollars come from the institution itself.

Graduate debt

H4/H5
Grads with debt
22%
Avg debt
$26,666

22% of graduates borrowed; those who did owed $26,666 on average.

03

Outcomes & Equity

Graduation & retention

B
6-yr grad rate
94%
Retention
95%

6-year graduation rate 94%; first-year retention 95%.

04

Academic Experience

Class-size distribution

I3
2-9 students529
10-19 students739
20-29 students264
30-39 students124
40-49 students115
50-99 students129
100+ students56

65% of classes have under 20 students; 9% have 50+.

Faculty profile

I
Student–faculty ratio
7 to 1
Faculty with terminal degree
80%
Women faculty
42%

Key faculty indicators.

05

Student Body & Diversity

Undergraduate race/ethnicity

B2
White, non-Hispanic39.6%
Asian, non-Hispanic20.3%
Hispanic/Latino12.9%
Nonresidents9.4%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic9.3%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic6.0%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown2.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic0.1%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic0.0%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.

International students

B2
International UG
774
Share
9%

9% of undergraduates are international (nonresident).

Undergrad vs graduate

B1
Undergraduate
8,22050%
Graduate
8,13750%

8,220 undergraduates and 8,137 graduate students.

06

Transfer Path

Transfer admissions

D1
Applied
1,706
Admitted
239
Enrolled
99

1,706 transfer applicants → 239 admitted (14.0%) → 99 enrolled

Source publications

Frequently asked questions about Washington University in St Louis

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about WASHU.

What is the graduation rate at Washington University in St Louis?

Washington University in St Louis reports a 6-year graduation rate of 94% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Washington University in St Louis?

Washington University in St Louis reports a total enrollment of 16,357 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Washington University in St Louis?

The average net price at Washington University in St Louis is $21,786 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Washington University in St Louis?

Washington University in St Louis's yield rate is 46.7%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Washington University in St Louis located?

Washington University in St Louis is located in St. Louis, Missouri 63130.

Who runs Institutional Research at Washington University in St Louis?

Washington University in St Louis's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Research, which reports to Office of the Provost.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
U.S. Department of Education
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
U.S. Department of Education
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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