About

About Central Washington University

public masters universityhighly accessible admissionseducation and business focusmedium sized campus

Central Washington University is a public university in Ellensburg, WA, known for its public masters university, highly accessible admissions, and education and business focus. With an acceptance rate of 93%, CWU is accessible for most qualified applicants, typically enrolling around 1,410 students each year. CWU is test optional; submitting a strong score can strengthen an application, though it is not required for consideration. CWU offers merit scholarships regardless of financial need, with awards averaging $8,667 per year; the sticker price of $42,973 may look very different from what your family actually pays.

Admissions

Central Washington University acceptance rate and admitted student profile

accessible for most qualified applicants

93%
Overall Accept Rate
3.00
Typical Admitted GPA
GPATypical admitted range: 2.50 – 3.50 unweighted

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Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to Central Washington University

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Test Score Strategy
Since CWU is test optional and places very little weight on essays or demonstrated interest, a below-average test score will not help your application, so skip submitting it and let your GPA and coursework carry your file.
Financial Aid — High Impact
Apply to CWU by November 15 to be automatically considered for the largest merit scholarship pool, including the President's Scholarship, which is tied to your cumulative GPA at the time of application.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What Central Washington University actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30k~$43k/yr$11.8k
30k-48k~$43k/yr$13.9k
48k-75k~$43k/yr$16.0k
75k-110k~$43k/yr$21.7k
110k+~$43k/yr$26.7k

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

50%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$49k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
20:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
9,077
Undergrad Enrollment
Central Washington University Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch