B
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Academics
    B-
  2. Value
    A-
  3. Diversity
    B+
  4. Campus
    B
  5. Athletics
    B
  6. Party Scene
    B-
  7. Professors
    B
  8. Location
    B-
  9. Dorms
    B
  10. Campus Food
    B
  11. Student Life
    C+
  12. Safety
    B+
View Full Report Card
Central Washington University is ...
Public
Athletic Division
NCAA Division II (with football)
Athletic Conference
Great Northwest Athletic Conference
Address
400 East University Way
Ellensburg, WA 98926
Website
cwu.edu

Central Washington University Rankings

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

Admissions

Acceptance Rate
86%
SAT Range
870-1080
ACT Range
18-24
Application Fee
$50
SAT/ACT
Required
High School GPA
Required
Will You Get In?

Test Scores and GPA for Central Washington University

Cost

Net Price
$14,199/ year
National
$15,431
Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Net Price by Household Income
  • <$30k
    $8,622/ year
  • $30-48k
    $10,442/ year
  • $49-75k
    $14,824/ year
  • $76-110k
    $18,324/ year
  • $110k+
    $19,631/ year

Academics

Professors
B
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
19:1
Evening Degree Programs
No
73%
of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.103 responses
59%
of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.102 responses
58%
of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.102 responses

Majors

Most Popular Majors
  • Business Administration and Management
    198 Graduates
  • Criminal Justice and Safety Studies
    197 Graduates
  • Elementary Education
    161 Graduates
  • Accounting
    151 Graduates
  • Psychology
    147 Graduates
  • Social Sciences
    144 Graduates
  • Logistics and Supply Chain Management
    123 Graduates
  • Marketing
    95 Graduates
  • Finance
    65 Graduates
  • Public Relations
    64 Graduates

Students

Full-Time Enrollment
8,753Undergrads
Undergrads Over 25
17%
Pell Grant
37%
Varsity Athletes
5%
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
Based on 59 responses
Report
  • Washintonian (native to washington)
    42%
  • Kind
    22%
  • Coastie (Seattle area natives)
    17%
  • Open. Willing to try new things/meet new people.
    10%
  • Conservsative
    3%
  • Diverse
    3%
  • Selfish
    2%

Campus Life

Freshmen Live On-Campus
—
Poll
74%
of students say they don't have Greek life.91 responses
Poll
50%
of students say varsity sporting events are attended, but not a huge part of campus life.127 responses
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes your school?
Based on 69 responses
Report
  • Great for education majors
    33%
  • Diverse
    22%
  • Affordable
    20%
  • Involved. There's a place for everyone here
    10%
  • Distinguished
    7%
  • Cliquy and high school
    1%
  • Great baseball program
    1%

After Central Washington University

Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$44,900/ year
National
$33,028
Graduation Rate
53%
National
47%
Employed 2 Years After Graduation
91%
National
83%
87%
of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.71 responses
Colleges like Central Washington University
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Central Washington University Reviews

1,308 reviews
All Categories
My Central Washington University experience has been great! The staff are great people who help out whenever you're in need of it. The professors are also great who get the material across in an understandable manner. They're are quick to respond to your emails and to find them in their office hours for extra help. All resources are easy to access around campus. They're are many programs to help out students whether they are first year or senior students. Central Washington continues to grow and I continue to having a great experience with this University.
Review Central Washington University
This university was the perfect fit for me! Ellensburg is far enough from the city, but not too secluded. So I always feel like there's something to do. CWU has the perfect class sizes for people who enjoy getting to know their professors. I think my largest class had 80 people in it, and my smallest had 15. I work as an RA in the residence halls. So I can tell you that they are fantastic places to meet new people. My only complaint about this university is that there is not much school pride. But, the university is working hard to change that.
The overall experience at Central Washington University is great! The professors are very understanding, engaging, and helpful to those of us students who need the extra assistance. It is a very liberal campus that provides a comfortable environment for all types of students. Another thing that helps is that the professional pilot program is a little more affordable than many other colleges that offer the same program.