St. Louis, MO · private · 7,857 undergraduates
Washington University in St. Louis acceptance rate, SAT range and net price
Washington University in St. Louis admitted 12.2% of applicants for the class entering in fall 2026, and meets full need without loans.
Net price per year at WashU
$12,603
Reach · admit rate 12.2%
| Admit rate, Fall 2026 entering class (Class of 2030) | 12.2% (1 in 8) |
| Middle 50% of enrolled students (SAT) | 1,510 to 1,550 |
| Enrolled students scoring below you (approx.) | 1% |
| This site’s label | Reach |
| Sticker price 2026-27 | $102,260 |
| Paid by families with $75,001-$110,000 (2023-24) | $12,603 |
| Share of the sticker price | 12% |
Net price: average paid after grants by students on federal aid in that income band (2023-24), not a quote. The label is a fixed rule of this site (admit rate under 15% is a reach for everyone), not a prediction. Your exact price: WashU net price calculator. How this is calculated.
Admissions: WashU Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Class of 2030 Profile (numbers accurate as of September 21, 2026; 'enrolling' count) · net price: College Scorecard, 2023-24 · figures checked · Built by Radif Partners · Method and data
- Admit rate, newest cycle
- 12.2%
- SAT middle 50%
- 1,510 to 1,550
- Sticker price 2026-27
- $102,260
- Net price, income $48k to $75k
- $5,578
Washington University in St. Louis admitted 4,057 of 33,214 first-year applicants for the class entering in fall 2026 (Class of 2030), an acceptance rate of 12.2%, according to its admissions profile; WashU does not publish a Common Data Set, so this is its newest official count. Testing is optional and 37% of that class enrolled without scores; the middle 50% SAT of those who sent one was 1,510 to 1,550. The 2026-27 cost of attendance is $102,260, with university charges a little lower. WashU meets 100% of demonstrated need without loans and is need-blind for U.S. first-year applicants. The federal figures for 2023-24 put the average net price at $1,716 under $30,000 and $5,578 between $48,001 and $75,000, and $42,170 above $110,000.
A new Early Action round
For students applying for fall 2027, WashU added a non-binding Early Action round on November 2, next to binding Early Decision I on the same date, Early Decision II on January 4 and regular decision on January 4. That gives an early answer to students who need to compare aid offers. There is a catch for merit scholarships: WashU awards its school scholarships and Signature Scholar programs after the Early Decision II notification date, so it recommends the regular round to students who need an academic scholarship in order to attend, with priority scholarship applications due December 16.
WashU: where your SAT score lands
Enrolled students scoring below you (approx.)
50%
| Middle 50% | 1,510 to 1,550 |
| Your score is | inside the middle 50% |
Fall 2026 entering class (Class of 2030), Class of 2030 Profile: middle 50% SAT 1510-1550, ACT 33-35; 63% enrolled with test scores, 37% without (no split between SAT and ACT, no medians). Normal curve fitted to the two published percentiles.
Applying to a school inside the university
WashU admits students to one of its undergraduate divisions. The Class of 2030 profile shows most enrolling students in Arts and Sciences and a few hundred in Engineering, with the rest in business, art and architecture. The overall rate mixes all of them; a student should read the requirements of the chosen school, since some ask for a portfolio.
No loans, and the WashU Pledge
WashU's aid has changed sharply in recent years: it is now need-blind for U.S. first-year applicants and replaces loans with grants. The WashU Pledge goes further for students from Missouri and southern Illinois whose families earn $75,000 or less: four years free of tuition, fees, housing and food. The federal averages describe a period before some of these changes, $1,928 between $30,001 and $48,000 and $12,603 between $75,001 and $110,000 in 2023-24, so a family applying now should run WashU's own calculator before relying on them.
WashU: net price for your family income
Average net price, 2023-24
$5,578
| Income band | $48,001-$75,000 |
| Share of the 2023-24 cost | 6% |
Federal figure for first-year students on federal aid.
The 2026-27 budget
Tuition is $71,310 and housing and food $24,272, for a total of $102,260 with books, travel and personal costs. Families comparing it with Vanderbilt, Emory and UChicago will find different free-tuition thresholds; the comparison tool lines them up.
From Washington University in St. Louis’s own documents
- For fall 2027 applicants WashU has added a non-binding Early Action round (November 2) alongside Early Decision I (November 2), Early Decision II (January 4) and Regular Decision (January 4). source
- For the Class of 2030 (fall 2026), 4,057 of 33,214 applicants were admitted (12%) and 1,941 are enrolling, 1,330 of them in Arts and Sciences and 300 in Engineering. source
- Missouri and southern Illinois students from families earning $75,000 or less attend free under the WashU Pledge, covering tuition, fees, housing and food for four years. source
- School scholarships and Signature Scholar Programs are awarded after the Early Decision II notification date, so WashU recommends Regular Decision for students who need an academic scholarship to attend; priority scholarship applications are due December 16. source
- 37% of the Class of 2030 enrolled without submitting test scores. source
- University charges for 2026-27 total $96,994, and $102,260 with estimated books, travel and personal costs. source
Net price at Washington University in St. Louis by family income
| Family income | Average net price 2023-24 | Share of the 2023-24 cost |
|---|---|---|
| $0-$30,000 | $1,716 | 2% |
| $30,001-$48,000 | $1,928 | 2% |
| $48,001-$75,000 | $5,578 | 6% |
| $75,001-$110,000 | $12,603 | 14% |
| $110,001 and up | $42,170 | 48% |
| All aided students | $21,786 | 25% |
Cost of attendance at Washington University in St. Louis, 2026-27
| Item | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $71,310 | |
| Fees | $1,412 | |
| Housing and food | $24,272 | |
| Books and supplies | $1,412 | |
| Personal | $2,804 | |
| Travel | $1,050 | |
| Total | $102,260 |
Washington University in St. Louis admissions by cycle
| Entering class | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled | Admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 entering class (Class of 2030) | 33,214 | 4,057 | 1,941 | 12.2% |
| Fall 2024 (federal IPEDS figure) | n/a | n/a | n/a | 12.1% |
SAT and ACT scores at Washington University in St. Louis
| Score | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT total (Fall 2026 entering class (Class of 2030), Class of 2030 Profile: middle 50% SAT 1510-1550, ACT 33-35; 63% enrolled with test scores, 37% without (no split between SAT and ACT, no medians)) | 1,510 | n/a | 1,550 |
| ACT composite (Fall 2026 entering class (Class of 2030) (Class of 2030 Profile: middle 50% SAT 1510-1550, ACT 33-35; 63% enrolled with test scores, 37% without (no split between SAT and ACT, no medians))) | 33 | n/a | 35 |
| SAT sections, fall 2024 (Scorecard) | 730 + 770 | n/a | 770 + 800 |
Outcomes at Washington University in St. Louis
| Measure | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Graduated within 6 years | 94% | fall 2018 entering cohort |
| Returned for a second year | 95% | fall 2023 entering cohort |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $86,182 | measured 2020-2021, 10 years after entry, 2022 dollars |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $17,500 | students who finished in 2019-20 and 2020-21 |
| Undergraduates | 7,857 | fall 2024 |
| Students with a Pell Grant | 18% | 2023-24 |