Washington University in St Louis
St. Louis, Missouri · Private · 7,857 undergraduates · washu.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
12%
of 33,283 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1500 to 1550
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$106,350Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Washington University in St Louis
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
12% of applicants admitted
Reach
It admits only 12% of applicants, so it's a reach for everyone.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$106,350
a year in 2027-28, from a $106,350 sticker price
What to do with your 1530
Send your score
About 45% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1480, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
Source: What's New at WashU · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov2Early Action · November 2, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Nov2Early Decision · November 2, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Dec16Other deadline · December 16, 2026
- Jan4Early Decision II · January 4, 2027A second binding round, after Early Decision.
- Jan4Regular Decision · January 4, 2027The standard deadline.
Source: Application Dates & Deadlines
Who gets in
12%
of applicants were admitted: 3,968 of 33,283 for fall 2025.
Early Action
Not binding. Apply by 11/2, hear by 12/23.
Early Decision
Binding. 27% of early applicants were admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 32% of them sent SAT scores and 29% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1500 to 1550
Reading and Writing 730 to 760
Math 760 to 790
ACT composite 33 to 35
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160097%
- 1200 to 13993%
- 1000 to 11990%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$106,350
a year
- Tuition$74,160
- Fees$1,470
- Food and housing$25,240
- Books and supplies$1,470
- Transportation and other$4,010
Washington University in St Louis published $102,260 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$2,578
- $30,001 to $48,000$589
- $48,001 to $75,000$7,361
- $75,001 to $110,000$15,636
- Over $110,000$47,130
Financial aid
100%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$75,880
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
2.2%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $36,250 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid deadline: ED I - Nov 17, ED II - Jan 11, RD - Feb 1
- The last day to send aid forms.
- Also asks for
- A CSS Profile is required from the noncustodial parent
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
Missouri programs for residents
Higher Education Academic Scholarship (Bright Flight)
$1,000 to $3,000 a year
State program · In-state students
- 1600+ SAT or 32+ ACT, Tier 1 (top 3% of MO test takers); US citizen/permanent resident; first-time full-time enrollment in academic year immediately after HS graduation, from Missouri$3,000
- 1590+ SAT or 30+ ACT, Tier 2 (4th-5th percentile of MO test takers); US citizen/permanent resident; first-time full-time enrollment in academic year immediately after HS graduation, from Missouri$1,000
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
31 of 31
Earn credit with a score of 3
2 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $7,420Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 5 | 3 | ART 1996 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 5 | 3 | ART 1996 |
| African American Studies | 4 | 3 | elective credit for AFAS 2081 |
| Art History | 4 | 3 | ARTARCH 1515 |
| Biology | 4 | 6 | BIOL 1000 (elective credit) |
| Calculus AB | 5 | 3 | Math 1510 |
| Calculus BC | 5 | 6 | MATH 1510 and 1520 |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 5 | 3 | L24 Math 131 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 3 | Chem 1030 |
| Chemistry | 5 | 6 | Chem 1030 and 1040 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | 3 units of undergraduate credit for POLSCI 1100 may be awarded contingent upon completion of an advanced (3000-/4000-level) course in comparative politics with a grade of C or better. The credit will not count toward the political science major/minor, but it waives the POLSCI 1000-level requirement. |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 3 | CSE 1301 |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 3 | CSE 0013 |
| Drawing | 5 | 3 | ART 0001 |
| English Language and Composition | 5 | 3 | elective credit WRITING 0001 contingent upon completing CWP 1500-1510 with a grade of B or better. |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | 3 | elective credit WRITING 0001 contingent upon completing CWP 1500-1510 with a grade of B or better. |
| European History | 4 | 3 | HISTORY 0001 |
| European History | 5 | 3 | HISTORY 1010 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | FRENCH 1020 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 6 | FRENCH 1020 and 2030 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | GERMAN 1020 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 6 | GERMAN 1020 and 2010 |
| Latin | 4 | 6 | 3 units of credit for LATIN 1510 and 3 units of credit for LATIN 1520 upon completion of Latin 3010, 3020 or 3170 with a grade of B or better |
| Macroeconomics | 5 | 3 | ECON 1998, contingent upon completion of ECON 4002 with a grade of B or better |
| Microeconomics | 5 | 3 | ECON 1997, contingent upon completion of ECON 4001 with a grade of B or better |
| Music Theory | 4 | Students should take the departmental placement exam | |
| Physics 1 | 5 | 3 | PHYSICS 1013. |
| Physics 2 | 5 | 3 | PHYSICS 1014. |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 3 | PHYSICS 1014 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 5 | 4 | PHYSICS 1742 (3 credits) and PHYSICS 1743 (1 credit). |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 3 | PHYSICS 1013. |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 5 | 4 | PHYSICS 1740 (3 credits) and PHYSICS 1741 (1 credit). T |
| Psychology | 5 | Waives the PSYCH 1000 Introduction to Psychology requirement, but no college credit is awarded. | |
| Statistics | 5 | 3 | SDS 2020 |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | 3 units of undergraduate credit for POLSCI 1000 may be awarded contingent upon completion of an advanced (3000-/4000-level) course in American politics with a grade of C or better. The credit will not count toward the political science major/minor, but it waives the POLSCI 1000-level requirement. |
| United States History | 4 | 3 | HISTORY 0001 |
| United States History | 5 | 3 | HISTORY 1145 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 3 | HISTORY 0001 |
| World History: Modern | 5 | 3 | History 1146 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
93%
Come back for a second year
95%
Typical earnings
$91,497
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Washington University in St Louis$206,525
- All colleges$89,719
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 16 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Washington University in St Louis. The Washington University in St Louis logo is a trademark of the college.