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Willamette University

Willamette University is a private campus in Salem proper — federal locale codes class it as urban.

What could it cost?

Start with net price after grants, then read the published costs. Each chart names its academic year and the students it covers.

Net price by family income

key chart

Average annual cost after grants for each family-income band. These group averages are not personal price quotes.

IPEDS Income brackets, 2022–23

family-income band

$14,603

family income
under $30k

$14,977

$30–48k

$16,425

$48–75k

$24,618

$75–110k

$31,101

over $110k

Average net price

$25,1212023–24Skip to data table

Average annual attendance cost after grants for the reported student group. Your own aid offer and costs may differ.

Average net price at Willamette University has wandered from 2008 to 2023 — up to $34,294 at the peak — but ends near where it began, at $25,121.

Average net price — data
Year	Net price
2008	$23,272
2009	$22,937
2010	$23,611
2011	$27,352
2012	$30,312
2013	$28,009
2014	$29,770
2015	$29,718
2016	$28,327
2017	$29,386
2018	$31,961
2019	$34,294
2020	$32,819
2021	$28,978
2022	$23,663
2023	$25,121

IPEDS 16 federal reports, 2008–2023

Total cost of attendance

$67,5012024–25Skip to data table

Estimated annual attendance budget before grants, including tuition, fees, housing, food and books. Not every expense is billed by the school.

Total cost at Willamette University rose from $43,910 (2009) to $67,501 (2024).

Total cost of attendance — data
Year	Cost
2009	$43,910
2010	$46,000
2011	$48,301
2012	$50,402
2013	$52,665
2014	$54,536
2015	$56,834
2016	$58,801
2017	$60,503
2018	$61,279
2019	$64,205
2020	$66,416
2021	$67,669
2022	$60,106
2023	$62,112
2024	$67,501

IPEDS Academic-year cost 2009–2024

Tuition & fees

Skip to data table

Published tuition and fees before grants. Housing, food, books and other attendance costs are separate.

Tuition & fees — data
Year	Tuition & fees
2000	$22,821
2001	$23,150
2002	$24,050
2003	$25,300
2004	$26,690
2005	$28,416
2006	$30,018
2007	$31,968
2008	$33,960
2013	$42,305
2014	$44,076
2015	$45,617
2016	$47,217
2017	$48,158
2018	$50,279
2019	$52,290
2020	$53,834
2021	$44,234
2022	$45,260
2023	$48,268

IPEDS Published price 2000–01 to 2023–24 (not adjusted for inflation)

Cost, size & completion summary

Cost, size & completion

Reported tuition is $51,156 before grants and other attendance costs. At Willamette University, aid and other costs change the bill. Scorecard snapshot: 2026-06-10; historical charts show their own years.

Enrollment sits at 1,592 — Willamette University is one of the smaller campuses on this site.

71.2% of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants completed at Willamette University within six years (2026-06-10 release). This measure excludes other student groups.

Do students finish — and what comes after?

Graduation, debt and earnings cover different groups. Read each chart's entering class or fiscal period; they are not one group's journey.

Six-year graduation rate

key chart

71.2%entered Fall 2018Skip to data table

The share of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants who completed at this institution within six years. Other students are not included.

The six-year graduation rate at Willamette University has held near 71.2% from Fall 1991 to Fall 2018 entering cohorts.

A six-year rate can only describe a class that entered six or more years ago — by definition the last point on the line is that old.

Six-year graduation rate — data
Year	Graduated within 6 yrs
1991 cohort	75.1%
1992 cohort	73.3%
1993 cohort	73.5%
1994 cohort	75.4%
1995 cohort	82.4%
1996 cohort	78%
1997 cohort	80.2%
1998 cohort	71.4%
1999 cohort	74.1%
2000 cohort	75.7%
2001 cohort	79.8%
2002 cohort	70.5%
2003 cohort	79.5%
2004 cohort	78.2%
2005 cohort	77%
2006 cohort	76.8%
2007 cohort	78.8%
2008 cohort	77.2%
2009 cohort	79.5%
2010 cohort	77.8%
2011 cohort	73.1%
2012 cohort	73.7%
2013 cohort	69%
2014 cohort	73.7%
2015 cohort	72%
2016 cohort	76.1%
2017 cohort	72.7%
2018 cohort	71.2%

IPEDS Entering cohorts 1991–2018

Median debt at exit (completers vs non-completers)

Historical student groups

key chart

Skip to data table

Median federal student loan debt when students left school, shown separately for those who completed and those who did not.

CompletedLeft without degree

Each point combines two years. Neighboring points share one year, so changes should be read with that overlap in mind.

These two-year windows closed before today's students borrowed — they describe past cohorts, not the current price of a degree.

Median debt at exit — data
Year	Completed	Left without degree
Left school in fiscal years 1997 and 1998 (FY1997/98)	$14,500	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 (FY1998/99)	$14,376	$5,250
Left school in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 (FY1999/00)	$14,375	$3,969
Left school in fiscal years 2000 and 2001 (FY2000/01)	$14,375	$3,438
Left school in fiscal years 2001 and 2002 (FY2001/02)	$14,500	$3,500
Left school in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 (FY2002/03)	$14,500	$4,375
Left school in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 (FY2003/04)	$14,500	$5,200
Left school in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 (FY2004/05)	$14,500	$6,125
Left school in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 (FY2005/06)	$14,500	$5,500
Left school in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 (FY2006/07)	$14,500	$5,188
Left school in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 (FY2007/08)	$15,819	$5,466
Left school in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 (FY2008/09)	$16,125	$6,522
Left school in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 (FY2009/10)	$17,125	$7,750
Left school in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (FY2010/11)	$19,125	$9,084
Left school in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 (FY2011/12)	$21,500	$6,642
Left school in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 (FY2012/13)	$23,500	$6,476
Left school in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 (FY2013/14)	$24,004	$6,500
Left school in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 (FY2014/15)	$24,500	$8,750
Left school in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 (FY2015/16)	$26,000	$10,500
Left school in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (FY2016/17)	$26,371	$11,000
Left school in fiscal years 2017 and 2018 (FY2017/18)	$24,491	$10,197
Left school in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (FY2018/19)	$23,177	$9,500
Left school in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FY2019/20)	$23,000	$8,250
Left school in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (FY2020/21)	$21,500	$8,277

NSLDS GRAD_DEBT_MDN / WDRAW_DEBT_MDN, merged FY periods · via College Scorecard

Earnings after entry

Historical student groups

Median annual earnings after entering college, for federally aided students who were working and not enrolled when measured.

Entered: academic years 2013–14 or 2014–15

$38,932

6 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2011–12 or 2012–13

$50,849

8 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2009–10 or 2010–11

$56,911

10 years after entry

Each figure covers a different group of students who entered college in the stated years. Earnings were measured in the same two years; these are not one group followed over time.

Measured in 2020–21, adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars. Each figure pools two entering academic years.

Treasury Pooled entering cohorts · Scorecard 2020–21 historical file

What does the admissions record show?

Rates and score ranges describe a past admissions cycle. Submitted scores are not cutoffs or a prediction of admission.

Admissions snapshot & test policies

Willamette University admitted 2,954 of 3,832 applicants in Fall 2024. The 77.1% rate describes that application pool.

77.1%

acceptance rate · Fall 2024 admissions cycle

rate trend $48,268 tuition · 2023–24 1,592 undergraduates · Fall 2024

Test-optional (considered) · Fall 2024

400SAT range (section 25th/75th sums): 1240–14401600

Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →

Admissions

In the Fall 2024 cycle, Willamette University received 3,832 applications and admitted 2,954 (77.1%), with 421 enrolling.

Willamette University reported scores as considered but not required for the Fall 2024 admissions cycle. For Willamette University’s enrolled SAT submitters, Reading and Writing was 640–730 and Math was 600–710 (25th–75th percentiles). The section-percentile sums 1240–1440 are not composite-score percentiles. These are not admission cutoffs.

Check current requirements with admissions.

Score	25th	50th	75th
SAT Reading & Writing	640	690	730
SAT Math	600	670	710
ACT Composite	28	31	33

25th / 75th: a quarter of enrolled submitters scored below the first number, a quarter above the second. These are not cutoffs.

Only students who submitted scores are counted — at test-optional schools, many enrolled students aren't in this table.

Percentiles are among enrolled students who submitted scores (Fall 2024 admissions cycle).

Acceptance rate

77.1%Fall 2024Skip to data table

The share of applicants offered a spot — lower means more selective; read it alongside the score ranges below.

Acceptance rate — data
Year	Acceptance rate
Fall 2001	83.6%
Fall 2002	83%
Fall 2003	74.1%
Fall 2004	76.2%
Fall 2005	75.1%
Fall 2006	75.5%
Fall 2007	77.1%
Fall 2008	66%
Fall 2009	59.5%
Fall 2010	43.4%
Fall 2011	40.6%
Fall 2012	83.1%
Fall 2013	57.8%
Fall 2014	81.3%
Fall 2015	77.9%
Fall 2016	78.1%
Fall 2017	89.1%
Fall 2018	83.6%
Fall 2019	77.9%
Fall 2020	80.2%
Fall 2021	79.6%
Fall 2022	80.6%
Fall 2023	79.1%
Fall 2024	77.1%

IPEDS Fall cycles 2001–2024

SAT range (section sums, 25th–75th)

1240–1440Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

Sums of the reading/writing and math percentiles among enrolled submitters — not percentiles of total SAT scores or admission cutoffs.

SAT range (section sums) — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	1140	1330
Fall 2002	1120	1340
Fall 2003	1140	1340
Fall 2004	1160	1340
Fall 2005	1130	1320
Fall 2006	1160	1360
Fall 2007	1120	1350
Fall 2008	1120	1330
Fall 2009	1120	1320
Fall 2010	1160	1340
Fall 2011	1100	1320
Fall 2012	1120	1340
Fall 2013	1080	1310
Fall 2014	1080	1320
Fall 2015	1100	1330
Fall 2023	1220	1430
Fall 2024	1240	1440

IPEDS Fall 2001–2024, submitters only

ACT middle 50%

28–33Fall 2024 · submittersSkip to data table

The middle half of enrolled ACT submitters, using published composite-score percentiles — not admission cutoffs.

ACT middle 50% — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2002	25	30
Fall 2003	25	29
Fall 2004	25	30
Fall 2005	25	29
Fall 2006	24	30
Fall 2007	25	29
Fall 2008	25	29
Fall 2009	25	30
Fall 2010	27	30
Fall 2011	27	31
Fall 2012	25	30
Fall 2013	24	29
Fall 2014	24	30
Fall 2015	25	30
Fall 2023	27	32
Fall 2024	28	33

IPEDS Fall 2002–2024, submitters only

What is the campus like?

Enrollment counts a campus population; retention follows first-years returning. Their dates and populations are shown separately.

Undergraduate enrollment

1,592Fall 2024Skip to data table

Reported undergraduate enrollment. This count does not measure class size or teaching access.

Undergraduate enrollment at Willamette University has wandered from Fall 2002 to Fall 2024 — up to 2,205 at the peak — but ends near where it began, at 1,592.

Undergraduate enrollment — data
Year	Undergraduates
Fall 2002	1,722
Fall 2003	1,918
Fall 2004	1,876
Fall 2005	1,813
Fall 2006	2,205
Fall 2007	1,808
Fall 2008	1,759
Fall 2009	1,853
Fall 2010	1,800
Fall 2011	1,967
Fall 2012	1,964
Fall 2013	1,970
Fall 2014	2,009
Fall 2015	1,925
Fall 2016	1,867
Fall 2017	1,772
Fall 2018	1,623
Fall 2019	1,479
Fall 2020	1,288
Fall 2021	1,186
Fall 2022	1,335
Fall 2023	1,525
Fall 2024	1,592

IPEDS Fall headcounts 2002–2024

First-year retention (full-time)

87%Fall 2023 cohortSkip to data table

The share of the reported first-time student group who returned the following year. This rate does not explain why others left.

First-year retention at Willamette University has held near 87% from Fall 2002 to Fall 2023.

First-year retention — data
Year	Retention
Fall 2002 cohort	86%
Fall 2003 cohort	91%
Fall 2004 cohort	88%
Fall 2005 cohort	86%
Fall 2006 cohort	87%
Fall 2007 cohort	86%
Fall 2008 cohort	88%
Fall 2009 cohort	89%
Fall 2010 cohort	88%
Fall 2011 cohort	86%
Fall 2012 cohort	86%
Fall 2013 cohort	83%
Fall 2014 cohort	87%
Fall 2015 cohort	86%
Fall 2016 cohort	86%
Fall 2017 cohort	83%
Fall 2018 cohort	84%
Fall 2019 cohort	82%
Fall 2020 cohort	80%
Fall 2021 cohort	83%
Fall 2022 cohort	86%
Fall 2023 cohort	87%

IPEDS Full-time cohorts 2002–2023

More about Willamette University

23.5% of Willamette University's undergraduates carry Pell grants — the standard federal marker of lower-income enrollment. Carnegie classes Willamette University as a primarily residential campus of 1,592 undergraduates — and 86.5% of the reported first-time, full-time student group returned for a second year.

Willamette University's SAT section-percentile sums are 1240–1440 — their midpoint is above the OR four-year benchmark. These are not total-score percentiles. Put your own practice estimate on Willamette University's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.

Why some charts are marked “key chart”

key chart

Start with three useful questions: what costs were reported for families in your income band, how many first-time full-time students finished, and what federal debt borrowers held when leaving.

How Willamette University compares

State and national medians cover active bachelor-primary institutions, mixing public and private schools. Tuition uses in-state rates at public schools. These are broad reference points, not a ranking of similar schools or your likely bill.

Scorecard dates identify the release snapshot, not a shared measurement year. Earnings describe federally aided students who were working and not enrolled ten years after entry; cohorts and populations differ from the admissions and tuition figures.

Acceptance rate

Fall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS

Willamette University77.1%

Oregon median85.2%

National median76.8%

Tuition

Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid

Willamette University$51,156

Oregon median$22,220

National median$19,591

Median earnings (10 yr)

Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot

Willamette University's snapshot: calendar years and dollar basis unverified.

Willamette University$56,911

Oregon median$57,671

National median$53,781

View comparison data & dates

Willamette University, Oregon and national reference values
Metric & basis	Willamette University	Oregon median	National median
Acceptance rateFall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS	77.1%	85.2%	76.8%
TuitionScorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid	$51,156	$22,220	$19,591
Median earnings (10 yr)Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot	$56,911	$57,671	$53,781

Published earnings by bachelor's field of study

For Willamette University, these are federal subject groups (CIP), not departments. Median is the middle annual income.

Willamette University federal-aid recipients · graduated 2017–18 or 2018–19 · income measured 2022 or 2023 · inflation-adjusted to 2024 dollars. Definitions and limits.

View 12 fields & earnings

Bachelor's field of study (CIP category)	Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion
Computer Science	$100,650
Physics	$89,506
Chemistry	$79,592
Communication and Media Studies	$70,412
Political Science and Government	$63,407
Economics	$63,255
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness	$59,337
Natural Resources Conservation and Research	$54,657
English Language and Literature, General	$50,060
Biology, General	$45,197
Design and Applied Arts	$44,870
Fine and Studio Arts	$32,256

These 12 fields listed for Willamette University measure earnings after completion. The $56,911 institution-level snapshot above measures earnings after entry; it is not the same cohort or a total for these fields. 28 additional Willamette University fields have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.

Frequently asked questions

What test-score data does Willamette University report?

Willamette University's enrolled submitters had SAT section-percentile sums of 1240–1440 in Fall 2024. These are not total-score percentiles or a GPA requirement.

What is Willamette University's acceptance rate?

77.1% in the Fall 2024 cycle — 2,954 admitted from 3,832 applicants.

How much does Willamette University cost?

At Willamette University, tuition is $51,156. Tuition is not the total cost of attendance; aid can reduce your bill.

What earnings data does Willamette University report?

Median earnings ten years after entry: $56,911. Major figures measure four years after completion. Source and date limits.

Similar colleges in Oregon

Warner Pacific University — 71.1% admitted
Pacific Northwest College of Art — 74.8% admitted
Oregon State University — 77.3% admitted
Bushnell University — 67.3% admitted

Run your own numbers

Data: IPEDS ADM2024 (Fall 2024 admissions, provisional) · IPEDS HD2024/IC2024 directory · College Scorecard 2026-06-10 release (institution and field-of-study files; earnings from Treasury records). Retrieved 2026-09-01. Chart dates follow this institution's available observations; the release date is not an academic year or an earnings year. Some records end earlier than others. Field-of-study cohort dates are shown with the table. Read the date and population definitions.