Private Nonprofit Graduate Good 69/100

Walla Walla University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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College Place, Washington

About Walla Walla University

Thinking about Walla Walla University, a college in Washington where more students graduate in Public Administration than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Walla Walla University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in College Place, Washington. It enrolls 1,252 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
—
Graduation
58.1%
Net Price
$23,329
Median Earnings (10yr)
$61,885
Enrollment
1,252
Student : Faculty
13:1

Accreditor Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Academic Calendar Quarter

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Good
69/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 84
Value 39
Affordability 24
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Walla Walla University does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.

Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $23,329 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$23,329
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
26%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
47%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees
$34,227
Room & Board (on-campus)
$10,833
Room & Board (off-campus)
$10,833
Books & Supplies
$765
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,537
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,537
Total Cost of Attendance
$45,903

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $18,675
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $20,079
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $20,776
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $24,081
  • Over $110,000
    $28,760

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$4,004
10% percentile
$9,133
25% percentile
$26,842
Median percentile
$31,000
75% percentile
$37,500
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $21,516 ↓ $5,326
No Pell $17,417 ↓ $9,425
Dependent students $18,857 ↓ $7,985
Independent students $25,000 ↓ $1,842
Female students $18,500 ↓ $8,342
Male students $20,520 ↓ $6,322
Pell recipients: 17.7% (4,741 students)No Pell: 14.3% (3,838 students)Dependent students: 15.5% (4,155 students)Independent students: 20.5% (5,509 students)Female students: 15.2% (4,077 students)Male students: 16.8% (4,522 students)Overall Median$26,842
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,032, less than completers ($26,842), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

58% of students who start here finish within six years, and 85% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
58%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
85%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $61,885 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$61,885
Earning > $25K
81%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$51,000$54,000$57,000$60,000$63,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$49,900

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$52,100

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$51,600

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$49,600

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$51,300

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 15.0 pts across 6 years
72%1yr79.7%3yr83.3%5yr87%7yr
What this signals: Excellent. 87% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,252 students, a small, close-knit community.

Total Enrolled
1,252
Part-Time
3%
First-Generation
17%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 45.9% 575
Hispanic 23.3% 292
International 10.1% 127
Other 9.9% 124
Asian 5.4% 68
Black 4.2% 53
White: 45.9% (575 students)Hispanic: 23.3% (292 students)International: 10.1% (127 students)Other: 9.9% (124 students)Asian: 5.4% (68 students)Black: 4.2% (53 students)Total1,252

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Walla Walla University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Small Suburb College Place, Washington
Housing
Strongly residential 969 beds for 1,252 students
Adult Learners
6% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Quarter scheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
Designation
Religiously affiliated

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Health graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Walla Walla University offers an extensive catalog of programs: 48 distinct programs across 21 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

3 Programs
5 Programs
4 Programs
5 Programs
3 Programs
4 Programs
5 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 13 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$127M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$52,907
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

72 instructional faculty across 4 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Full Professors 27 38% $60,248
Associate Professors 18 25% $48,830
Assistant Professors 22 31% $49,203
Instructors 5 7% $44,244

Pros & Cons of Walla Walla University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Walla Walla University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Reasonable class sizes
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
  • Above-average net price
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Best for: Based on the data, Walla Walla University is a fit for students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Walla Walla University

The questions families ask most about Walla Walla University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

How much does Walla Walla University cost?
Budget around $23,329 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Walla Walla University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $61,885 a year against a net price of $23,329, about 2.7 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Walla Walla University known for?
Mostly Social Work, Nursing, Business Administration. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Walla Walla University graduates earn?
About $61,885 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Walla Walla University accredited?
Yes. Walla Walla University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
How many students attend Walla Walla University?
1,252 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Walla Walla University?
58% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Walla Walla University a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Walla Walla University located?
Walla Walla University is located in College Place, Washington.
What programs does Walla Walla University offer?
48 different programs, most commonly Social Work, Nursing, Business Administration. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Walla Walla University?
13 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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