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Central Washington University

Central Washington University

Ellensburg, WA · Town · 7,833 students
WebsiteCommon AppForbes rankingScorecard
Application deadlines: Check the admissions site
$18,476
Average net priceYour net price
In-state · 2023-24
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
52%
Graduation rate
Entered fall 2017 & 2018
54% typical
$61,580
Earnings 10 years on
Measured 2020 & 2021
$55,177 typical
91%
Acceptance rate
Applied for fall 2024
82% typical · not scored
Accredited by Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
About

Central Washington University is a comprehensive public institution best known for housing the Pacific Northwest’s premier collegiate aviation program, alongside historically distinguished degrees in education, music performance, and supply chain management. Located in the sunny college town of Ellensburg, the campus culture is friendly, active, and tight-knit, with students frequently taking advantage of outdoor recreation in the surrounding Kittitas Valley and Cascade Range. A key distinctive feature of CWU is its emphasis on undergraduate-focused applied learning, offering students direct access to high-impact resources ranging from a dedicated flight fleet at Bowers Field to state-of-the-art acoustics in the McIntyre Music Building.

Wikipedia:Central Washington University (CWU) is a public university in Ellensburg, Washington, United States. It was founded in 1891 as the Washington State Normal School.

Location
Ellensburg, WA, 98926 · Town campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
SEA · Seattle
89 mi away
Open in Google Maps
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
These figures are federal data and may be out of date.
In-stateOut-of-state
Tuition & fees$9,417$27,526
Housing & food (on campus)$16,480$16,480
Books & supplies$900$900
Cost of attendance$28,816$46,925 est.
Average net price$18,476Not published
Out-of-state prices
Tuition & fees$27,526
In-state: $9,417
Housing & food (on campus)$16,480
Books & supplies$900
Cost of attendance$46,925 est.
In-state: $28,816
Average net priceNot published
In-state: $18,476
est. = the in-state cost of attendance with out-of-state tuition swapped in; no out-of-state figure is published.
Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24
$0–30k
$11,846
$30–48k
$13,942
$48–75k
$16,022
$75–110k
$21,682
$110k+
$26,719
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
52%
Entered 2017–18
Within 4 yrs
36%
Back for yr 2
70%
Transferred
0%
8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students
57% graduated · 13% transferred · 30% left or unknown · none still enrolled
Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021
6 yrs after entry$49,398
10 yrs after entry$61,580
Debt
Median at graduation$19,500
Monthly payment$207
Middle 50% owe$6k–$25k
90th percentile$32,500
Green marks a figure above the typical Master's (larger programs): $55,177 earned 10 yrs after entry.
Admissions
Getting in · applied for fall 2024
Admit rate
91%
Test policy
Not required
Per College Scorecard

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Essay prompts

If Central Washington University asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body
Gender
Men 47%Women 53%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
15 : 1
Pell grant
28%
First-gen
40%
Family income
$42,459
Independent
30%
Veterans
1%
Age at entry
23.0
Part-time
13%
Race & ethnicity
White
56%
Hispanic
23%
Black
5%
Asian
4%
Two or more
8%
Non-resident
2%
AI/AN
1%
NH/PI
1%
Unknown
1%
Varsity sports
NCAA Division II with football · EADA 2024-25
  • Baseball
    Men's
  • Basketball
    Men's · Women's
  • Football
    Men's
  • Other Sports
    Men's · Women's
  • Soccer
    Women's
  • Softball
    Women's
  • Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
    Men's · Women's
  • Volleyball
    Women's
Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021
After 6 yrs
$49,398
After 10 yrs
$61,580
Psychology, General274
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods211
Business Administration, Management and Operations191
Criminal Justice and Corrections140
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas116
Accounting and Related Services115
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness96
Computer Science77
Sociology74
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies67
Air Transportation67
Computer and Information Sciences, General53
Social Sciences, General50
Human Services, General43
Design and Applied Arts39
Public Health33
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$60M
Full-time faculty
65%
Faculty salary
$10,124/mo
Teaching spend
$11,278
per student
Federal loans
31%
Classification
Carnegie type
Master's (larger programs)
Research activity
Research college or university
$3M research spending
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, inclusive admissions

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