Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA · Public
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See the full analysis — freeAdmission rate
Central Washington University admitted 90.6% of applicants university-wide (8,082 of 8,919).
| Cohort | Admit rate | Admitted | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-wide | 90.6% | 8,082 | 8,919 |
| Men | 89.3% | 3,413 | 3,824 |
| Women | 91.6% | 4,598 | 5,021 |
Of 8,082 admitted students, 1,619 enrolled (20.0% yield).
Central Washington University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C1–C2 · 2023 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.
Test scores and GPA of admitted students
- GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
- 2.50–3.74
Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)
Central Washington University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C9–C12 · 2023 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.
Cost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $52,100/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $27,526 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $24,574 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $52,100/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $11,846 |
| $30k–48k | $13,942 |
| $48k–75k | $16,022 |
| $75k–110k | $21,682 |
| Over $110k | $26,719 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
- Presidential Scholarship — $4,000 per year (Presidential)
- Wildcat Scholarship — $3,000 per year (Merit)
- Dean's Scholarship — $2,000 per year (Merit)
- CWU Grant — Varies (Need Based)
International applicants
No need-based aid reported for internationals.
- International Wildcat Scholarship — Up to $10,000 per year (International Aid)
- Presidential Scholarship — $4,000 per year (Presidential)
- Wildcat Scholarship — $3,000 per year (Merit)
- Dean's Scholarship — $2,000 per year (Merit)
Central Washington University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections G–H · 2023
Application requirements
US applicants
- Online Application
- Official Transcripts
- Statement of Educational and Professional Objectives
- Letters of Recommendation
- Writing Samples
- Application fee
International applicants
- Online Application
- Official Transcripts
- Statement of Educational and Professional Objectives
- Letters of Recommendation
- Writing Samples
- Application fee
- English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
Central Washington University · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025
Essay prompts
Draft these in the free Essay Coach
Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 4, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $61,580
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 53.6%
- Within 150% of normal time
- First-year retention
- 70%
- Return for year two · CDS Section B
- Median debt
- $19,500
- At graduation
Central Washington University · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.
Published rankings
- WSJ: #206
Academics and campus
Largest degree fields: Business & marketing (18%), Psychology (11%), Computer & information sciences (10%).
Student–faculty ratio: 17:1 · 44% of class sections have under 20 students.
Central Washington University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections E, F, I · 2023 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.