Western Washington University
Bellingham, Washington · Public · 13,544 undergraduates · wwu.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
94%
of 12,290 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1060 to 1310
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$33,990Est.Estimate
$53,600 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at Western Washington University
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
94% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$53,600
a year in 2027-28, from a $53,600 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1200
Send your score
Your SAT is at or above the median of freshmen who sent scores (1200).
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.
Source: First-Year Admissions | Western Washington University · Checked October 17, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Action · November 1, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Jan31Regular Decision · January 31, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
94%
of applicants were admitted: 11,517 of 12,290 for fall 2025.
Early Action
Not binding. Apply by 11/1, hear by 12/31.
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. 9% of them sent SAT scores and 2% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1060 to 1310
Reading and Writing 560 to 690
Math 490 to 630
ACT composite 23 to 31
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160011%
- 1200 to 139942%
- 1000 to 119929%
- 800 to 99917%
- 600 to 7991%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.42
- 4.04%
- 3.75 to 3.9925%
- 3.50 to 3.7421%
- 3.25 to 3.4917%
- 3.00 to 3.2413%
- 2.50 to 2.9916%
- Below 2.504%
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
$33,990
a year, in state
$53,600
a year, out of state (tuition $30,160)
- Tuition (in state)$10,550
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$12,600
- $30,001 to $48,000$13,630
- $48,001 to $75,000$16,218
- $75,001 to $110,000$21,324
- Over $110,000$27,935
Financial aid
75%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$12,496
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
17%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $2,659 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: January 31st
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-26
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
38 of 38
Earn credit with a score of 3
35 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $1,060Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 4 | Art electives |
| 2-D Art and Design | 4 | 5 | Art 120 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 4 | Art electives |
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 5 | Art 230 |
| African American Studies | 3 | 5 | ETHN 204 |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | Art electives |
| Art History | 4 | 4 | A/HI 210 + Art elective |
| Biology | 3 | 4 | Biology 101 |
| Biology | 4 | 8 | BIOL 101 + Biology electives |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 5 | Math electives |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 5 | Math 124 |
| Calculus AB | 5 | 10 | Math 124, 125 |
| Calculus BC | 2 | 5 | Math 124 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 5 | Math 124 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 10 | Chemistry 161, 162 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 5 | Chinese 101 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 10 | Chinese 101, 102 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 5 | Political Science 291 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 4 | Computer Science 141 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 3 | General electives |
| Drawing | 3 | 4 | Art electives |
| Drawing | 4 | 5 | Art 110 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 4 | English electives |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 4 | English electives |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 3 | Environmental Science 101 |
| European History | 4 | 5 | History 113 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 5 | French 104 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 10 | French electives |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 15 | French electives |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 5 | German 101 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 10 | German 101, 102 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 4 | Environmental Studies 204 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 5 | Italian 101 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 10 | Italian 101 + Italian electives |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 5 | Japanese 101 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 10 | Japanese 101, 102 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 4 | Economics 207 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 4 | Economics 206 |
| Music Theory | 3 | 3 | Music electives |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 5 | Physics 114 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 5 | Physics 115 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 5 | Physics 162 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 5 | Physics 161 |
| Pre-Calculus | 2 | ||
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | 5 | Math electives |
| Psychology | 3 | 5 | Psychology 101 |
| Research | 3 | 3 | General electives |
| Seminar | 3 | 3 | General electives |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 5 | Spanish 104 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 10 | Spanish electives |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 15 | Spanish electives |
| Statistics | 3 | 4 | Math 240 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 5 | Political Science 250 |
| United States History | 4 | 5 | History electives |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 5 | History 123 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
61%
Come back for a second year
79%
Typical earnings
$64,305
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Western Washington University$54,205
- All colleges$58,906
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 53 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 Western Washington University. The Western Washington University logo is a trademark of the college.