Acceptance Rate
12%
Avg. SAT
1570
75th percentile
“At WashU, high-achieving students dive into collaborative pre-professional pursuits amid St. Louis's underrated urban edge, where quirky Billikens spirit meets rigorous research.”
Saint Louis, MO
Location
Large Suburb
Campus Setting
Washington University in St. Louis traces its roots to 1853, when a forward-thinking Unitarian minister named William Greenleaf Eliot rallied support to create a nonsectarian institution amid the muddy boomtown of mid-19th-century St. Louis, naming it for George Washington to signal civic virtue over religious dogma. You'll find a campus that hums with ambitious strivers—think the kid who aced AP Bio and dreams of med school or Wall Street—who thrive in its earnest, team-oriented vibe rather than cutthroat competition. The school's personality skews practical yet intellectual, fostering a Midwestern politeness that tempers coastal intensity. Nestled in the leafy suburbs of Clayton and University City, just outside a gritty St. Louis core boasting the Gateway Arch and a world-class zoo, you'll enjoy affordable city access without constant urban chaos; tradeoffs include navigating pockets of higher crime downtown and enduring humid summers plus biting winters that keep you indoors more than you'd like.
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Admissions
Acceptance Rate
Test Policy
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Average GPA
Application Fee
Academics
Student-Faculty Ratio
Programs Offered
Full-Time Faculty
Women Faculty
Research Spending
Degree Levels Offered
You'll sit in small seminars where professors like Nobel-affiliated chemists cold-call you to dissect enzyme pathways, backed by a 7:1 student-faculty ratio that dwarfs even many Ivies and fuels undergrad research gigs at top labs—over half of students co-author papers before graduation. WashU shines in pre-med pipelines (with a 60% med school acceptance rate towering over national averages), Olin Business's hands-on entrepreneurship tracks, and interdisciplinary gems like the Beyond Boundaries program blending neuroscience with policy. Classrooms buzz with collaborative problem-solving, not lectures; expect group projects dissecting economic models or engineering prototypes. Tradeoffs hit humanities majors harder, as the pre-professional tilt means fewer resources for niche lit seminars compared to research-heavy STEM.
Student Body
Total Enrollment
8,220 undergrad • 8,137 grad
Undergraduate
Graduate
International
White
36%
Black / African American
7%
Hispanic / Latino
9%
Asian
14%
Other / Multi-racial
34%
Campus Life
Campus Setting
Saint Louis, MO
Varsity Athletics
NCAA Athletics
A typical week kicks off with 8 a.m. lectures on the Danforth Campus's red-brick quads, segues into club meetings amid 300-plus groups—from quidditch to consulting case comps—and winds down at Thurtene Carnival, the nation's oldest student-run fair where you'll sling funnel cakes for charity. Residential life clusters you into one of seven themed colleges like Village or Shepley, mixing freshmen with upperclassmen for built-in mentorship and late-night pizza debates. Greek life draws 30% into a social scene that's lively but not dominant, with tailgates for Bears football and WILD parties; the vibe feels inclusive and low-drama, though introverts might find the pre-professional hustle overwhelming. St. Louis winters confine you to steamy dorms, and while Forest Park offers free skating and museums, downtown's edgier rep means sticking to campus shuttles after dark.
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Housing Capacity
Meal Plan Available
Average Room & Board
Athletics
Athletic Association
University Athletic Association
ROTC & Veteran Support
Army
Yes
Navy
No
Air Force
Yes
Veteran’s Programs Available
Yellow Ribbon Program (Post-9/11 GI Bill)
Yes
Dedicated point of contact for veteran support services
Yes
Recognized student veteran organization
Yes
Member of DoD Voluntary Educational Partnership MOU
Yes
Cost & Aid
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
Room & Board
Estimated Cost
Financial Aid
Students Receiving Aid
Receiving Pell Grants
Average Grant
Average Federal Loan
Net Annual Cost by Household Income
Household Income
Avg. Net Cost
$0 – $30K
$3,263
$30K – $48K
$4,928
$48K – $75K
$9,248
$75K – $110K
$27,028
$110K+
$50,273
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Costs shown are before financial aid. Most students receive some form of aid. Complete the FAFSA to see what you qualify for.
Outcomes & Earnings
Retention Rate
95%
4 Years Graduation Rate
87%
6 Years Graduation Rate
92%
Median 10-Year Earnings
$86,182
95% of first-time, full-time students complete their freshman year at Washington University in St Louis and return in the fall. 87% of first-time, full-time students graduate in 4 years, and 92% graduate within 6 years.
Graduation Rate
4-year grads
87%
4-6 years
5%
Non-grad
8%
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Key Statistics
Type
Private
Tuition
$59,420
Acceptance
12%
Undergrads
8,220
4-Year Grad Rate
87%
Endowment
$7.7B
Saint Louis, MO 63130-4899
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