Washington University in St Louis: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Saint Louis, Missouri · Public · Moderately selective · CDS 2024-2025
Washington University in St Louis is a public university in Saint Louis, Missouri that admits about 57% of applicants, making it a moderately selective school. The average family pays about $12,323 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Business/Commerce, General, Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing and Psychology, General, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 56% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 1.0 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Washington University in St Louis is a public institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Washington University in St Louis admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 57%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1147 and an ACT composite around 26. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $12,323 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Washington University in St Louis is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for Washington University in St Louis?
Washington University in St Louis admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does Washington University in St Louis weight in admissions?
Washington University in St Louis reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Class rank
- • Academic GPA
- • Standardized test scores
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Interview
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores Washington University in St Louis typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 530–600, with an EBRW midpoint near 575. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 20–27. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | — |
| 50th percentile | 1147 |
| 75th percentile | — |
| % submitting SAT | 0% |
| 25th percentile | 19 |
| 50th percentile | 24 |
| 75th percentile | 27 |
| % submitting ACT | 0% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 20.63% |
| Top 25% of class | 45.24% |
| Top 50% of class | 75.4% |
| % submitting class rank | 51.43% |
How much does Washington University in St Louis actually cost?
Published tuition is $13,440 for in-state students and $33,432 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $13,104 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $12,323 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 18% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $14,400 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $35,820 |
| Room and board | $13,502 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $12,323 |
| Application fee | $50 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Washington University in St Louis
| Regular deadline | June 1 |
| Notification date | Rolling |
| Reply deadline | No set date |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from Washington University in St Louis?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Most popular majors at Washington University in St Louis
The most popular undergraduate programs at Washington University in St Louis, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Business/Commerce, General, Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing and Psychology, General. Across all programs, Washington University in St Louis confers roughly 1,128 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Business/Commerce, General program report a median income of about $61,411 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Business/Commerce, General | 333 | $61,411 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 191 | $76,027 |
| Psychology, General | 142 | $43,122 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 131 | $38,671 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 90 | $74,336 |
| Criminology | 85 | $50,009 |
| Biology, General | 82 | $58,767 |
| Social Work | 74 | $40,468 |
Is Washington University in St Louis safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Washington University in St Louis disclosed 5 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 1.0 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 2 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
What is campus life like at Washington University in St Louis?
About 15% of undergraduates at Washington University in St Louis live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 0% of men join a fraternity and 0% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Missouri parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Washington University in St Louis
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Washington University in St Louis recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about Washington University in St Louis
What GPA do I need for Washington University in St Louis?
Washington University in St Louis admits students with a wide GPA range, but most successful applicants present an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher with a college-prep curriculum.
What SAT or ACT score does Washington University in St Louis typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 530–600, with an EBRW midpoint near 575. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 20–27.
How much does Washington University in St Louis actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Washington University in St Louis after grants and scholarships is $12,323 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is Washington University in St Louis realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Washington University in St Louis is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at Washington University in St Louis?
Washington University in St Louis accepts about 57% of applicants out of roughly 6,193 who apply each year. That makes it a moderately selective school.
Is Washington University in St Louis test-optional?
Yes. Washington University in St Louis is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at Washington University in St Louis?
About 56% of students at Washington University in St Louis graduate within six years. 73% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does Washington University in St Louis look for in applicants?
Washington University in St Louis rates course rigor, class rank and GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is Washington University in St Louis a public or private school, and where is it located?
Washington University in St Louis is a public institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri.
What are the most popular majors at Washington University in St Louis?
The largest undergraduate majors at Washington University in St Louis by annual graduates are Business/Commerce, General, Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing and Psychology, General. The school awards about 1,128 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Washington University in St Louis safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Washington University in St Louis reported 5 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 1.0 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at Washington University in St Louis?
At Washington University in St Louis, 15% of undergraduates live on campus, 0% of men are in fraternities, 0% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Washington University in St Louis, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.