Washington University in St Louis: Cost, Graduate Salary, Acceptance Rate and Return on Investment
Washington University in St Louis is a private nonprofit college in St. Louis, MO. Students pay about $21,786 a year in net price, and the median graduate earns $86,182 ten years after enrolling. By our Degree-ROI measure the degree pays back in about 2.7 years and adds $290,176 over a decade, ranking it #43 of 918 (top 6%) by value added.
What is Washington University in St Louis's acceptance rate?
Washington University in St Louis has an acceptance rate of 12.1%, which makes it highly selective. It is a private nonprofit institution in St. Louis, MO enrolling about 7,857 students, with a 94.3% graduation rate.
How much does Washington University in St Louis cost?
Washington University in St Louis costs about $21,786 per year in average net price, what a typical student actually pays after grants and scholarships. Over four years, including typical borrowing, that totals roughly $104,644. Published sticker cost of attendance is $88,488 per year.
How much do Washington University in St Louis graduates earn?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Washington University in St Louis student earns $86,182 per year. That is $39,482 more than the $46,700 that the typical worker with only a high-school diploma earns.
Is Washington University in St Louis worth it? Degree ROI and payback period
Washington University in St Louis pays back its roughly $104,644 cost in about 2.7 years, then keeps returning the earnings premium. Over the first decade the degree adds about $290,176 net of cost, a 3.77x return on the money invested. That ranks it #43 of 918 (top 6%) by value added. Its top-tier value is driven mainly by strong graduate earnings and a high graduation rate.
Top 10% value
Washington University in St Louis graduation rate and student debt
94.3% of Washington University in St Louis students complete their degree, and the median graduate leaves with $17,500 in federal student debt. That debt is about 20% of one year of median graduate earnings.
Washington University in St Louis by the numbers (vs the typical college)
How Washington University in St Louis compares to the median four-year college in our snapshot. Percentile is its rank among the 918 colleges that report both earnings and cost (higher is better).
| Metric | This school | Median college | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg net price / yr | $21,786 | $20,299 | cheaper than 44% |
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $86,182 | $54,768 | 94th |
| Graduation rate | 94.3% | 57.0% | 98th |
| Acceptance rate | 12.1% | 75.7% | more selective than 97% |
| 10-yr value added | $290,176 | -$28,192 | 95th |
| ROI multiple (per $1) | 3.77x | 0.73x | 94th |
| Payback period | 2.7 yrs | 8.8 yrs | faster than 92% |
How Washington University in St Louis compares with its nearest rivals
Washington University in St Louis ranks #43 of 918 by ten-year value added. The five profiled colleges closest to it in that ranking are compared below on the same federal data: 3 of them cost less per year and 2 of them produce higher median earnings ten years after entry.
Washington University in St Louis is a private nonprofit college in St. Louis, MO with 7,857 undergraduates. Its published cost of attendance is $88,488 a year, but the average aided family pays $21,786, a 75% discount from the sticker price. The median borrower leaves owing $17,500, equal to 20% of one year of median earnings ten years out. Getting in is the binding constraint at Washington University in St Louis: 12.1% of applicants are admitted.
- University of California-Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA; #42 of 918; 92.6% graduate) costs $9,238 less per year ($12,548 net), and its graduates earn $3,671 less ten years out ($82,511). University of California-Los Angeles adds $3,742 more ten-year value than Washington University in St Louis. University of California-Los Angeles pays back its cost in 1.8 years.
- New Jersey Institute of Technology (Newark, NJ; #44 of 918; 72.9% graduate) costs $5,282 less per year ($16,504 net), and its graduates earn $1,906 less ten years out ($84,276). Washington University in St Louis adds $1,432 more ten-year value than New Jersey Institute of Technology. New Jersey Institute of Technology pays back its cost in 2.3 years.
- Northwestern University (Evanston, IL; #41 of 918; 95.5% graduate) costs $7,381 more per year ($29,167 net), and its graduates earn $3,181 more ten years out ($89,363). Northwestern University adds $4,786 more ten-year value than Washington University in St Louis. Northwestern University pays back its cost in 3.1 years.
- Jewish Theological Seminary of America (New York, NY; #45 of 918; 88.4% graduate) costs $21,409 more per year ($43,195 net), and its graduates earn $6,569 more ten years out ($92,751). Washington University in St Louis adds $2,446 more ten-year value than Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Jewish Theological Seminary of America pays back its cost in 3.8 years.
- University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, MI; #40 of 918; 93.2% graduate) costs $8,648 less per year ($13,138 net), and its graduates earn $2,534 less ten years out ($83,648). University of Michigan-Ann Arbor adds $7,252 more ten-year value than Washington University in St Louis. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor pays back its cost in 2 years.
| College | Value rank | Net price / yr | Earnings (10 yrs) | Graduation | 10-yr value added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | #40 | $13,138 | $83,648 | 93.2% | $297,428 |
| Northwestern University | #41 | $29,167 | $89,363 | 95.5% | $294,962 |
| University of California-Los Angeles | #42 | $12,548 | $82,511 | 92.6% | $293,918 |
| Washington University in St Louis | #43 | $21,786 | $86,182 | 94.3% | $290,176 |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology | #44 | $16,504 | $84,276 | 72.9% | $288,744 |
| Jewish Theological Seminary of America | #45 | $43,195 | $92,751 | 88.4% | $287,730 |
Paying for Washington University in St Louis
Net price is what a family pays after grants, so the aid a student qualifies for moves every figure above. Our sister sites cover that side of the decision: the Pell Grant 2026-2027 guide sets out who qualifies and the maximum award, the education grants guide lists federal, state and institutional grants beyond Pell, and the best AI tools for students compares what is worth paying for once enrolled.
Frequently asked
Is Washington University in St Louis worth the cost compared to other colleges?
By value added net of cost, Washington University in St Louis ranks #43 of 918 (top 6%) of the 918 four-year colleges we rank, and returns about 3.77x the money invested over a decade.
Is Washington University in St Louis expensive compared to other colleges?
Its $21,786 average net price is above the $20,299 median for the colleges in this snapshot, making it cheaper than 44% of them.
Do Washington University in St Louis graduates earn more than average?
Median earnings of $86,182 ten years out are above the $54,768 median, higher than 94% of the colleges here.
How hard is it to get into Washington University in St Louis compared to other colleges?
Its 12.1% acceptance rate is below the 75.7% median, making it more selective than 97% of the colleges in the snapshot.
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Federal data behind this page
What a programme costs, what its graduates earn, and what aid is available are published by federal statistical agencies rather than by any provider's marketing page, and the sources below are the primary ones. They are linked so a reader can check a figure here directly.
- College Scorecard publishes the federal cost, completion and post-enrolment earnings data used to compare programmes.
- National Center for Education Statistics is the federal statistical agency for education and the source most published figures trace back to.
- IPEDS holds the institution-level survey data behind enrolment, price and completion comparisons.
- Federal Student Aid states what aid exists, who qualifies, and what repayment actually obligates a borrower to.
- CFPB paying for college documents how education financing works and where its common traps are.
- US Department of Education sets the policy framework the accreditation and aid systems operate under.
- Department of Education laws and policy carries the rules that decide whether a provider or credential is recognised.
This page compares programmes on published data. Outcomes vary by student, and a reader's own aid package and circumstances decide what a programme actually costs them.