Central Washington University (CWU) Rankings, Campus Information and Costs

University Headquarters (HQ) is an industry-leading, independent educational organization that provides independent college rankings using a proprietary formula to create first class, unbiased rankings. The team at University HQ strives to provide accurate and trustworthy rankings that highlight the best programs.

The aptly named Central Washington University (CWU) is in Ellensburg, a city in the middle of Washington state. It was founded in 1891 and is a four-year public university. The student population is comprised of both undergraduate and graduate students totaling just under 12,000. The school offers certificates, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and graduate degrees.

Overview of Central Washington University (CWU)

Some of the most common majors include Accounting, General Social Science, Elementary Education, Psychology, and majors in the visual and performing arts. Distance learning for students who needed a less traditional school experience is an option. Both the undergraduate and graduate programs have an almost equal number of male and female students and students have the option of staying on campus or living off campus. The option of taking classes in a traditional setting or in a blend of regular and online courses is also available, as is the option to take a program completely online.

General Information

School Type	Public
Campus Setting	Town: Distant
Campus Housing	Yes
Student Faculty Ratio	14:1
Graduation Rate	58%
Year Founded	1891

university hq best top ranked colleges badge

Student Enrollment

Total Students11,658

Undergraduate
11,111

Graduate
547

Undergraduate Student

Male 5,333

5,333

Female 5,778

5,778

Graduate Student

Male 263

263

Female 284

284

Explore Map

Top Rankings For Central Washington University

#2 Best Human Resources Programs in Washington

#3 Online Bachelors in Database Administration

#3 Best Early Childhood Programs in Washington

#7 Best Cybersecurity Programs in Washington

#8 Best Online Colleges in Washington

#9 Best Marketing Programs in Washington

#9 Online Bachelors in Project Management

#10 Best Finance Programs in Washington

#10 Best Accounting Programs in Washington

#11 Best Psychology Programs in Washington

#11 Affordable Network Administration Programs

#11 Online Bachelors in Data Science

#13 Best Masters Colleges in Washington

#14 Best Bachelors Colleges in Washington

#14 Best Computer Science Programs in Washington

#17 Online Bachelors in English Education

#17 Online Masters in English Education

#19 Online Bachelors in Supply Chain Management

#20 Online Masters in Physical Education

#21 Online Bachelors in Human Services

#24 Online Bachelors in Public Health

#31 Top 25 Best Campus Project Management Colleges

#47 Affordable Project Management Programs

CWU Acceptance Rate and Admissions

APPLICATIONS13,263

Male 5,395

Female 7,868

ACCEPTANCE11,406

Male 4,586

Female 6,845

Acceptance Rate86%

Male 85%

Female 87%

Enrollment 1,711

Male 823

Female 888

Admissions
Application Fee	$50
High School GPA	Required
High School Rank	N/A
High School Transcripts	Recommended
College Prep Courses	Considered But Not Required
Recommendations	Recommended
Formal demonstration of competencies	Recommended
SAT/ACT	Required
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)	N/A
Other Test (Wonderlic,WISC-III,etc)	Required
Application Deadline	Rolling
Common Application Accepted	No

CWU Tuition Cost & Financial Aid

The cost of an education is a definite consideration when trying to choose the right school.

Below is the cost information for those who attend Central Washington University:

Tuition for in-state full-time students: $8,273
Tuition for out-of-state full-time students: $23,954
Room and board for students who live on campus: $12,637
Total cost of tuition and room and board: $20,910 in-state - $36,591 out-of-state

Eighty-eight percent of students who attend Central Washington University receive some form of financial aid. Fifty-eight percent of students take out student loans to cover the costs of tuition and room and board, while 81% students receive Pell grants, scholarships, and other forms of aid. Once the scholarship and grant funds have applied to the cost, students are left with an average net cost of $16,014. This amount is the total a student is required to cover once all financial aid has been applied to tuition, room and board, and other costs. The majority of students use student loans to cover the difference.

Average net price	2018-2019
Net Price	$16,014
Average Total Aid	$7,503
Students Receiving Financial Aid	88%
Room & Board	$12,637

Find College Loans

Find Scholarships Find Grants

Sticker Price

Tuition In-State - $8,273
Tuition Out-of-State - $23,954
Books and Supplies - $900
Room & Board - $12,637
Other - $2,922

Academics

Here are some statistics regarding the academics at Central Washington University:

Retention Rate
Central Washington University has a 71% retention rate. This means that out of every 100 incoming freshmen, 71 students return for their sophomore year. This is an excellent rate of retention, higher than the national average.
Graduation Rate
Seventy-four percent of Central Washington students graduate within six years. Some students finish sooner (64% finish in four years) and others need longer than six years to complete their degree. But a graduation rate of 74% is an indication that the majority of students not only graduate, but they do so within a reasonable time frame.
Student to Faculty Ratio: 16:1
This ratio means that there are 16 students to each instructor. This means the classes are a decent size without being too large for everyone to participate, and instructors have more opportunities for one-on-one assistance if needed. You can get to know your fellow students as well as your instructors.

Decent class sizes and a healthy retention and graduation rate means that students at Central Washington can have a great educational experience.

71%
Retention
Rate

34%
4 year
Graduation
Rate

58%
6 year
Graduation
Rate

Student Population Total

Student Population 11,658

Undergraduate
11,111

Graduate
547

Evening Classes : No

Online Learning : Yes

Student Faculty Ratio - 14:1

Most Popular Programs & Majors

(# of Diplomas Awarded by Subject)

All Business Majors	650 Total Graduates / 25%
Accounting	123 Graduates
Business Administration, Management and Operations, Other	107 Graduates
Marketing/Marketing Management, General	83 Graduates
Business Administration and Management, General	72 Graduates
All Social Sciences Majors	253 Total Graduates / 10%
Social Sciences, General	108 Graduates
Sociology, General	51 Graduates
Political Science and Government, General	34 Graduates
Anthropology, General	24 Graduates
All Education Majors	215 Total Graduates / 8%
Elementary Education and Teaching	99 Graduates
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching	22 Graduates
Mathematics Teacher Education	20 Graduates
Music Teacher Education	13 Graduates
All Psychology Majors	186 Total Graduates / 7%
Psychology, General	186 Graduates
All Visual and Performing Arts Majors	157 Total Graduates / 6%
Cinematography and Film/Video Production	38 Graduates
Graphic Design	27 Graduates
Music Performance, General	16 Graduates
iFne/Studio Arts, General	15 Graduates
All Other Diplomas	43%

Outcome & Salary

Central Washington University graduates make an average early salary of $54,000 and, by their mid careers, are making around $94,200. This means that the average 10-year projected salary for a graduate is $690,300. With a net price of $64,000 for their entire education, this means students can expect a healthy return on their investment.

Graduates Salary
College Grads Early Career Salary	$54,000
College Grads Average Salary	$69,030
College Grads Mid Career Salary	$94,200

Return on Investment (ROI)
10 Year Salary Earnings Potential	$690,300
20 Year Salary Earnings Potential	$1,632,300
Cost of Education (Net Price) 4 Year	$64,056
10 Year Projected ROI	$626,244
20 Year Projected ROI	$1,568,244