Quick Facts

Student Demographics

14,651 Students

93% Undergraduate

28% Students of Color

58% Female

Residency

  • 86% Washington Residents
  • 14% Out of State Students, including International Students

First Year Students

  • 3,184 new first-year students enrolled
  • 29.8% new first-year students enrolled are students of color
  • 24.2% new first-year students enrolled are first generation students
  • 3.35-3.90 middle 50% GPAs of admitted first-year students
  • 55% of first-year students enrolled with college credit

Transfer Students

  • 901 new transfer students enrolled
  • 26.3% new transfer students enrolled are students of color
  • 33.7% new transfer students enrolled are first generation students
  • 2.98-3.73 middle 50% GPAs of admitted transfer students
  • 65% of enrolled transfer students come directly from a state community college led by Whatcom, Everett, Skagit, Olympic, and Bellevue colleges

Student Life

  • 250+ total student-run clubs & organizations

  • 88% of first-year students and 25% of transfer students live on campus their first year

  • Numerous conference championships (GNAC) in volleyball, men's and women’s soccer, track & field and cross country, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, and softball.

  • WWU's Women's Rowing team is an eight-time NCAA Division II National Champion

Academics

  • 200+ academic programs
  • 99% of classes taught by faculty, not graduate assistants
  • 70% of Western's faculty hold the highest degree in their field
  • 17:1 student to faculty ratio
  • 26 is the average class size
  • 74% of the classes have 30 or fewer students
  • 4.3 years is the average time to degree
  • 140,000+ graduates living and working around the world

Retention and Graduation Rates

  • 79% of first-year students beginning in Fall 2022 returned in Fall 2023
  • Western's six-year graduation rate is 66%...based on data from the 2017 cohort.

Undergraduate Degrees

  • 46% College of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • 13% College of Business and Economics
  • 19% College of Science and Engineering
  • 7% Woodring College of Education
  • 5% College of Fine and Performing Arts
  • 7% College of the Environment
  • 3% Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies

Location

Population of Bellingham, WA: 93,910 

A map of the Washington Coast showing Vancouver, BC; Bellingham; and Seattle.

55 miles

south of Vancouver, British Columbia

90 miles

north of Seattle, Washington

0.8 miles

to downtown Bellingham

52 miles

to Mount Baker ski area

Wooden sign with yellow text that says Sehome Hill Arboretum next to stairs that lead into lush ferns and pine trees.

Sehome Hill Arboretum

The Sehome Hill Arboretum borders campus and offers easy access to 180 acres of woods, six miles of trails, and quiet study nooks.

Estimated Annual Expenses

2025-2026

Washington Residents

Estimated fees and total cost for resident students
Confirmation Fee$350
Tuition and Fees$8,523
Additional Required Fees$1,419
Housing and Meals$16,107
Books and Supplies$1,224
Transportation$2,682
Personal and Miscellaneous$1,908
Total Cost of Attendance$32,213

Out-of-State Student

Estimated fees and total cost for out of state students
Confirmation Fee$350
Tuition and Fees$27,690
Additional Required Fees$1,419
Housing and Meals$16,107
Books and Supplies$1,224
Transportation$2,682
Personal and Miscellaneous$1,908
Total Cost of Attendance$51,380