Colleges › Washington › Central Washington University
Central Washington University
Admission at Central Washington University is close to open (90.6%), which shifts the homework to outcomes: check the $61,580 median earnings below before the application.
Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →
Central Washington University anchors the college town of Ellensburg, WA, where the public campus and town largely share a footprint.
Its highest-earning path is Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians, where graduates median $97,869 four years out. 28.3% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. With 7,833 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 70% of first-years come back for a second year.
Central Washington University won't look at test scores — here the GPA calculator is the tool that matters. Bring your saved semester numbers and see what they average.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Central Washington University received 6,829 applications and admitted 6,161 (90.2%), with 1,568 enrolling.
Leave the SAT prep out of this one — test scores are disregarded entirely. Central Washington University's 90.6% admission rate turned on grades and application strength.
How Central Washington University compares
| Central Washington University | Washington median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 90.6% | 83.2% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $9,417 | $19,614 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $61,580 | $62,092 | $53,781 |
At $61,580, ten-year earnings trail the state median ($62,092). Look at Central Washington University's major-level rows below before reading too much into the campus-wide number.
Cost, size & completion
In-state students pay $9,417 in tuition; crossing a state border raises that to $27,526. For non-residents, Central Washington University's $27,526 is the number to weigh against private options before assuming public means cheaper.
At 7,833 undergrads, Central Washington University is a mid-sized campus by U.S. standards.
53.6% graduate within six years. Roughly 46% don't — ask a Central Washington University tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at Central Washington University
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | $97,869 |
| Construction Management | $97,651 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $97,263 |
| Computer Science | $95,368 |
| Economics | $88,799 |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | $84,871 |
| Chemistry | $75,905 |
| Air Transportation | $74,997 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $74,442 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $73,036 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $72,838 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $66,538 |
| Apparel and Textiles | $65,815 |
| Political Science and Government | $64,361 |
| Sociology | $63,608 |
| Public Health | $62,435 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $61,604 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $60,761 |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | $60,299 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $59,659 |
| Social Sciences, General | $58,680 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $56,862 |
| Nutrition Sciences | $56,735 |
| Biology, General | $56,154 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $54,858 |
| Psychology, General | $54,530 |
| Human Services, General | $54,318 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $53,987 |
| Geography and Cartography | $53,081 |
| Music | $51,008 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $50,776 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $50,318 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $47,979 |
| History | $45,990 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $45,152 |
| Anthropology | $44,089 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | $43,480 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $43,101 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $41,971 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $40,251 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $33,800 |
Median earnings for these 41 Central Washington University programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $61,580 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 72 additional Central Washington University programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Central Washington University?
Central Washington University doesn't look at test scores; its 90.6% admission rate turned on transcripts, coursework rigor and the application itself.
What is Central Washington University's acceptance rate?
90.2% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 6,161 admitted from 6,829 applicants.
How much does Central Washington University cost?
In-state tuition is $9,417; out-of-state students pay $27,526. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do Central Washington University graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $61,580 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Washington
- Eastern Washington University — 90.8% admitted
- The Evergreen State College — 96.4% admitted
- Saint Martin's University — 89.8% admitted
- Washington State University — 86.6% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.