Willamette University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Portland, Oregon · Private nonprofit · Selective · CDS 2024-2025
Willamette University is a private institution located in Portland, Oregon with a selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Willamette University admits between a quarter and half of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 27%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT around 1420. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $39,951 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Willamette University 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 Willamette University?
Admitted students at Willamette University typically present unweighted GPAs in the 3.6–3.9 range with several honors or AP courses. 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 Willamette University weight in admissions?
Willamette University 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
- • Academic GPA
- • Application essay
- • Class rank
- • Recommendations
- • Interview
- • Character/personal qualities
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Level of applicant's interest
- • Standardized test scores
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
SAT and ACT scores Willamette University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 630–750, with an EBRW midpoint near —. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 29–34. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.
| 25th percentile | 1310 |
| 50th percentile | 1410 |
| 75th percentile | 1490 |
| % submitting SAT | 52% |
| 25th percentile | 30 |
| 50th percentile | 33 |
| 75th percentile | 34 |
| % submitting ACT | 21% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
How much does Willamette University actually cost?
Published tuition is $67,020 for in-state students and $67,020 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $16,820 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $39,951 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 12% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | — |
| Room and board | — |
| Average net price (after aid) | $39,951 |
| Application fee | $0 |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Willamette University
| Notification date | 15-Feb |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | 15-Nov |
| ED acceptance rate | 15% |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | 15-Nov |
Will my child graduate from Willamette University?
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.
Other colleges in Oregon parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Willamette University
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Willamette University 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 Willamette University
What GPA do I need for Willamette University?
Admitted students at Willamette University typically present unweighted GPAs in the 3.6–3.9 range with several honors or AP courses.
What SAT or ACT score does Willamette University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 630–750, with an EBRW midpoint near —. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 29–34.
How much does Willamette University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Willamette University after grants and scholarships is $39,951 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 Willamette University 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, Willamette University is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Willamette University, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.