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B
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Academics
    B
  2. Value
    B+
  3. Diversity
    A-
  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
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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
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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
80%
Application Deadline
Rolling Admissions
SAT Range
960-1150
ACT Range
18-24
Application Fee
$50
SAT/ACT
Required
High School GPA
Required
Early Decision/Early Action
No
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Cost

Net Price
$14,080/ year
National
$15,523
Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Net Price by Household Income
  • <$30k
    $8,693/ year
  • $30-48k
    $10,095/ year
  • $49-75k
    $14,386/ year
  • $76-110k
    $18,987/ year
  • $110k+
    $20,199/ year

Academics

Professors
B+
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
18:1
Evening Degree Programs
No
73%
of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.103 responses
60%
of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.105 responses
58%
of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.105 responses
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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
9,482Undergrads
Undergrads Over 25
14%
Pell Grant
38%
Varsity Athletes
5%
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
Based on 62 responses
Report
  • Washintonian (native to washington)
    40%
  • Kind
    23%
  • Coastie (Seattle area natives)
    18%
  • Open. Willing to try new things/meet new people.
    10%
  • Diverse
    5%
  • Conservsative
    3%
  • Selfish
    2%

Campus Life

Freshmen Live On-Campus
—
Poll
73%
of students say they don't have Greek life.94 responses
Poll
49%
of students say varsity sporting events are attended, but not a huge part of campus life.130 responses
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes your school?
Based on 72 responses
Report
  • Great for education majors
    32%
  • Diverse
    22%
  • Affordable
    19%
  • Involved. There's a place for everyone here
    13%
  • Distinguished
    7%
  • Cliquy and high school
    1%
  • Great baseball program
    1%

After College

Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$44,900/ year
National
$33,028
Graduation Rate
52%
National
49%
Employed 2 Years After Graduation
92%
National
83%
87%
of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.71 responses
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Central Washington University Reviews

1,345 reviews
All Categories
Central is an amazing school! So far, I've only been attending for two quarters but all the professors are amazing! They teach very well and are always willing to help out with anything! Central and the local town of Ellensburg are always coming together to get all the students, as well as the community together in local events and on campus gatherings, such as the Ellensburg rodeo and the various holiday dinners hosted in the SURC cafeteria. Diversity is also celebrated widely here. We have a diversity club that almost every week puts on a show/ skit or puts on an event. Just last week they put together a flash mob in the student recreation center. The diversity club as well as many other students preformed the song and dance "We're all in this together" from high school musical to welcome everyone to our school.
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What I really like about CWU is that it's a really nice environment and it makes you feel welcome and at home once you, for example, take a tour on campus or go through the events of the first 5 days here after moving in. It's also a very diverse and a very spirited university, everyone is really spirited even the upperclassmen here. College is hard but it's also fun and interesting and you get to explore around your majors and academics and go to events, see your interests in clubs, etc. I hope whoever reads this has the time to go through a tour here at Central and hopefully feels determined to come here and enjoy the excitement this university shows proudly. If not, it's okay!
My school is located in a small town; therefore excessive partying takes place. I feel a student should have a broader array of options for fun. A small town such as Ellensburg also does not allow students to develop the kind of cultured and worldly perspective as they would in a city. Personally, I enjoy discovering new places, meeting many different people, and participating in music and art. All of these past times are extremely limited in a place like Ellensburg, so if you attend Central Washington University, be prepared to get imaginative and create your own kinds of fun.