School Overview
Central Washington University (CWU) is located approximately 110 miles east of Seattle, Washington in Ellensburg, Washington. It is a publicly assisted university that is expanding by renovating older buildings and building 2 to 3 new social science buildings. This expansion is due to CWU being the fastest growing university in Washington. It is expected that with the increased expansion and admissions that student enrollment will go from its current enrollment to well over 15,000 students in the next decade.
The university has three chief divisions which include Business and Financial Affairs, the Office of the President, and Academic and Student Life (ASL). ASL has four colleges: the College of the Sciences, the College of Education and Professional Studies, the College of Business, and the College of Arts and Humanities.
Another important division in ASL is the Department of Student Success. This provides opportunities like services, activities, events, etc. with education in mind to promote personal, academic, and professional growth both within and outside the classroom.
General Information
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Admission Office 400 East University Way Ellensburg, WA 98926-7463 (509) 963-1211 (866) 298-4968 Fax: (509) 963-3022 [email protected] Contact: Lisa Garcia-Hanson Director of Admissions |
Main Address 400 East University Way Ellensburg, WA 98926-7501 (509) 963-1111 www.cwu.edu |
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Size Total undergrads: 10,181 First-time degree-seeking freshmen: 1,570 Degree-seeking undergrads: 9,688 Graduate enrollment: 481 Setting |
Degrees offered: |
Admissions Information
|
Application Fee College has an application fee: Yes Regular application fee: $55 Online application fee: $55 |
Enrollment Rates Percent applicants admitted: 79% |
Tuition & Fees
| Estimated Expenses for Academic Year | 2008-’09 | 2009-’10 | 2010-’11 | 2011-’12 | % change 2010-’12 |
| Tuition and fees | $5,493 | $5,724 | $6,422 | $7,110 | +10.71% |
| Books and Supplies | $924 | $924 | $972 | $972 | 0.00% |
| Living Arrangement – On Campus | |||||
| Room and Board | $7,842 | $8,052 | $8,460 | $8,901 | +5.21% |
| Other | $3,045 | $3,114 | $3,216 | $3,216 | 0.00% |
| Living Arrangement – Off Campus | |||||
| Room and Board | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Other | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Total Expenses | 2008-’09 | 2009-’10 | 2010-’11 | 2011-’12 | % change 2010-’12 |
| In-state On Campus | $17,304 | $17,814 | $19,070 | $20,199 | +5.92% |
| In-state Off Campus | $6,417 | $6,648 | $7,394 | $8,082 | +9.30% |
| In-state with Family | $6,417 | $6,648 | $7,394 | $8,082 | +9.30% |
| Average Graduate School Tuition & Fees | |
| In-state Tuition | $7,689 |
| In-state Student Fees | $909 |
| Out-of-state Tuition | $17,172 |
| Out-of-state Student Fees | $909 |
Financial Aid
| Full-time Beginning Undergraduate Students | ||||
| Type of Aid | Students | Percent | Amount | Average Per Student |
| All students financial aid | 1,131 | 73% | ||
| Grant or scholarship aid | 874 | 56% | $4,511,255 | $5,162 |
| • Federal grants | 316 | 20% | $1,239,057 | $3,921 |
| • Pell grants | 316 | 20% | $1,036,662 | $3,281 |
| • Other federal grants | 244 | 16% | $202,395 | $829 |
| Local and state government scholarships or grants | 475 | 31% | $1,750,411 | $3,685 |
| Institutional grants or scholarships | 588 | 38% | $1,521,787 | $2,588 |
| Student loan financial aid | 818 | 53% | $4,166,390 | $5,093 |
| • Federal student loans | 818 | 53% | $4,166,390 | $5,093 |
| • Other student loans | 0 | 0% | $0 | |
All Degrees and Programs
| Program Completions for Most Recent Year | BA/BS | MA/MS | Doctor | AA/AS | CERT |
| Grand Total of All Programs | 2551 | 175 | – | – | 14 |
| Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies | 7 | – | – | – | – |
| Asian Studies/civilization | 7 | – | – | – | – |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences | 85 | 6 | – | – | – |
| Biology/biological Sciences, General | 85 | 6 | – | – | – |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services | 702 | 25 | – | – | – |
| Accounting | 254 | 25 | – | – | – |
| Actuarial Science | 9 | – | – | – | – |
| Business Administration and Management, General | 322 | – | – | – | – |
| Business/office Automation/technology/data Entry | 37 | – | – | – | – |
| Fashion Merchandising | 14 | – | – | – | – |
| Office Management and Supervision | 14 | – | – | – | – |
| Retail Management | 9 | – | – | – | – |
| Special Products Marketing Operations | 8 | – | – | – | – |
| Tourism and Travel Services Management | 35 | – | – | – | – |
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs | 95 | – | – | – | – |
| Broadcast Journalism | 9 | – | – | – | – |
| Digital Communication and Media/multimedia | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Journalism | 11 | – | – | – | – |
| Public Relations/image Management | 47 | – | – | – | – |
| Speech Communication and Rhetoric | 27 | – | – | – | – |
| Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services | 21 | – | – | – | – |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 21 | – | – | – | – |
| Education | 483 | 77 | – | – | 2 |
| Art Teacher Education | 7 | – | – | – | – |
| Biology Teacher Education | 6 | – | – | – | – |
| Counselor Education/school Counseling and Guidance Services | – | 7 | – | – | 2 |
| Drama and Dance Teacher Education | 2 | 11 | – | – | – |
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching | 53 | – | – | – | – |
| Educational Leadership and Administration, General | – | 6 | – | – | – |
| Elementary Education and Teaching | 298 | – | – | – | – |
| English/language Arts Teacher Education | 9 | – | – | – | – |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/home Economics Teacher Education | – | 1 | – | – | – |
| French Language Teacher Education | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| German Language Teacher Education | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Health Teacher Education | 5 | – | – | – | – |
| History Teacher Education | 16 | – | – | – | – |
| Mathematics Teacher Education | 14 | 6 | – | – | – |
| Music Teacher Education | 15 | – | – | – | – |
| Physical Education Teaching and Coaching | 21 | – | – | – | – |
| Reading Teacher Education | – | 4 | – | – | – |
| Science Teacher Education/general Science Teacher Education | 4 | – | – | – | – |
| Spanish Language Teacher Education | 4 | – | – | – | – |
| Special Education and Teaching, General | 16 | – | – | – | – |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other | – | 36 | – | – | – |
| Teaching English As A Second or Foreign Language/esl Language Instructor | – | 6 | – | – | – |
| Technical Teacher Education | 7 | – | – | – | – |
| Trade and Industrial Teacher Education | 4 | – | – | – | – |
| Engineering Technology, General | 103 | – | – | – | – |
| Computer Engineering Technology/technician | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Construction Engineering Technology/technician | 34 | – | – | – | – |
| Electrical, Electronic and Communications Engineering Technology/technician | 7 | – | – | – | – |
| Industrial Safety Technology/technician | 36 | – | – | – | – |
| Industrial Technology/technician | 9 | – | – | – | – |
| Mechanical Engineering/mechanical Technology/technician | 16 | – | – | – | – |
| English Language and Literature/letters | 37 | 6 | – | – | – |
| English Language and Literature, General | 37 | 6 | – | – | – |
| Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 38 | – | – | – | – |
| Chinese Language and Literature | 3 | – | – | – | – |
| French Language and Literature | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| Japanese Language and Literature | 12 | – | – | – | – |
| Russian Language and Literature | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Spanish Language and Literature | 20 | – | – | – | – |
| Health Services/allied Health/health Sciences, General | 74 | – | – | – | – |
| Dietetics/dietitian | 34 | – | – | – | – |
| Emergency Medical Technology/technician (emt Paramedic) | 10 | – | – | – | – |
| Pre-nursing Studies | 7 | – | – | – | – |
| Public Health Education and Promotion | 23 | – | – | – | – |
| History | 25 | 4 | – | – | – |
| History, General | 25 | 4 | – | – | – |
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services | 148 | – | – | – | – |
| Corrections | 13 | – | – | – | – |
| Criminal Justice/safety Studies | 135 | – | – | – | – |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Humanities/humanistic Studies | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Mathematics and Statistics | 5 | – | – | – | – |
| Mathematics, General | 5 | – | – | – | – |
| Multi-/interdisciplinary Studies, General | 19 | 3 | – | – | – |
| Gerontology | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| Multi-/interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 16 | – | – | – | – |
| Natural Sciences | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Nutrition Sciences | – | 3 | – | – | – |
| Natural Resources and Conservation | 4 | 12 | – | – | – |
| Environmental Science | 4 | – | – | – | – |
| Natural Resources Management and Policy | – | 12 | – | – | – |
| Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies | 74 | 13 | – | – | – |
| Health and Physical Education/fitness, General | 6 | 4 | – | – | – |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | 47 | 9 | – | – | – |
| Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management, General | 21 | – | – | – | – |
| Physical Sciences | 38 | 8 | – | – | – |
| Chemistry, General | 23 | 4 | – | – | – |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/geosciences, Other | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| Geology/earth Science, General | 8 | 4 | – | – | – |
| Physics, General | 5 | – | – | – | – |
| Psychology | 91 | 14 | – | – | 1 |
| Counseling Psychology | – | 6 | – | – | – |
| Experimental Psychology | – | 5 | – | – | – |
| Psychology, General | 91 | – | – | – | – |
| School Psychology | – | 3 | – | – | 1 |
| Social Sciences | 311 | 1 | – | – | 11 |
| Anthropology | 42 | – | – | – | – |
| Anthropology, Other | 9 | 1 | – | – | – |
| Economics, General | 26 | – | – | – | – |
| Geographic Information Science and Cartography | – | – | – | – | 11 |
| Geography | 34 | – | – | – | – |
| Political Science and Government, General | 26 | – | – | – | – |
| Social Sciences, General | 118 | – | – | – | – |
| Sociology | 56 | – | – | – | – |
| Transportation and Materials Moving | 50 | – | – | – | – |
| Airline/commercial/professional Pilot and Flight Crew | 22 | – | – | – | – |
| Aviation/airway Management and Operations | 28 | – | – | – | – |
| Visual and Performing Arts | 109 | 4 | – | – | – |
| Acting | 6 | – | – | – | – |
| Art/art Studies, General | 4 | – | – | – | – |
| Ceramic Arts and Ceramics | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| Cinematography and Film/video Production | 9 | – | – | – | – |
| Drama and Dramatics/theatre Arts, General | 11 | – | – | – | – |
| Film/cinema/video Studies | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Fine/studio Arts, General | 19 | – | – | – | – |
| Graphic Design | 22 | – | – | – | – |
| Keyboard Instruments | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| Metal and Jewelry Arts | 1 | 1 | – | – | – |
| Music Management | 3 | – | – | – | – |
| Music Pedagogy | – | 1 | – | – | – |
| Music Performance, General | 4 | 2 | – | – | – |
| Music, General | 14 | – | – | – | – |
| Musical Theatre | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Percussion Instruments | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Sculpture | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Stringed Instruments | 1 | – | – | – | – |
| Technical Theatre/theatre Design and Technology | 2 | – | – | – | – |
| Voice and Opera | 3 | – | – | – | – |
| Work and Family Studies | 31 | 2 | – | – | – |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/human Sciences, General | 9 | – | – | – | – |
| Family Systems | 16 | 2 | – | – | – |
| Foodservice Systems Administration/management | 6 | – | – | – | – |
Undergraduate Majors
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Area, Ethnic, Cultural, & Gender Studies Asian Studies B Arts, Visual & Performing Art – General B Biological & Biomedical Sciences Biology B Business, Management, & Marketing Accounting B Communications & Journalism Communications/Rhetoric B Computer & Information Sciences Computer/Information Sciences – General B Education Art Teacher Education B Engineering Technologies Construction/Building Technologies B English Language & Literature English Language & Literature – General B Family & Consumer Sciences Family/Consumer Sciences – General B Foreign Language & Literature Chinese B Health Professions & Clinical Sciences Occupational Health/Industrial Hygiene B History History – General B Liberal Arts & Sciences General Studies B Mathematics Mathematics – General B Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies Gerontology B Parks, Recreation & Fitness Parks, Recreation & Fitness – General B Philosophy & Religion Philosophy B Physical Sciences Chemistry B Psychology Psychology – General B Public Administration & Services Human Services B Security & Protective Services Criminal Justice Studies B Social Sciences Anthropology B Transportation & Materials Moving Air Transportation B |
Degree levels for each major are designated by the following letters:
B = Bachelor’s degree C = Certificate or diploma |
*We do not guarantee the accuracy of information on this page. All information is subject to change. You should confirm all information with a college admissions officer.
Central Washington University Highlights
School Information
| Phone Number: | (509) 963-1111 |
| Website: | www.cwu.edu |
| Type of School: | 4-year, Public |
| Apply Online: | www.cwu.edu/admissions/online-admissions |
| Address: | 400 East University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926-7501 |
| Setting: | Town: Distant |
| Campus Housing: | Yes |
Students & Programs
| Student Population: | 11,658 |
| 6-yr Graduation Rate (Bachelor's): | 52% |
| Student-to-faculty Ratio: | 14 to 1 |
| Distance Learning Programs: | Yes |
| Distance Learning Students*: | 940 (8% of total students) |
| Degree Levels Offered: | Certificates, Bachelor's, Master's |
* Students taking at least 1 distance learning course
Tuition & Financial Aid*
| In-state Tuition: | $8,273 |
| Out-of-state Tuition: | $23,954 |
| % of Students Receiving Financial Aid: | 90% |
| Avg. Amount of Grant or Scholarship Aid Awarded: | $7,065 |
* Full-time beginning undergraduate students. Financial aid is available to those who qualify.
Central Washington University Programs
See the degree programs that are offered at Central Washington University.
| Degree Name | Cert | Assoc | Bach | Mast | Doct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies | 3 | ||||
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences | 8 | 2 | |||
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services | 6 | 22 | 2 | ||
| Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs | 8 | ||||
| Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services | 3 | 9 | 4 | ||
| Education | 24 | 25 | 16 | ||
| Engineering | 2 | ||||
| Engineering Technologies and Engineering-related Fields | 10 | 2 | |||
| English Language and Literature/Letters | 1 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences | 2 | 7 | 3 | ||
| Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 7 | ||||
| Health Professions and Related Programs | 1 | 13 | 1 | ||
| History | 1 | 1 | |||
| Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting, and Related Protective Service | 2 | 1 | |||
| Legal Professions and Studies | 2 | ||||
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 2 | ||||
| Mathematics and Statistics | 2 | ||||
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies | 6 | 4 | |||
| Natural Resources and Conservation | 2 | 3 | |||
| Parks, Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies | 5 | 3 | |||
| Personal and Culinary Services | 1 | ||||
| Philosophy and Religious Studies | 3 | ||||
| Physical Sciences | 1 | 5 | 2 | ||
| Psychology | 2 | 1 | 4 | ||
| Public Administration and Social Service Professions | 2 | 1 | |||
| Social Sciences | 4 | 10 | 1 | ||
| Transportation and Materials Moving | 3 | ||||
| Visual and Performing Arts | 28 | 13 | |||
| Grand total | 44 | 192 | 66 |
* Based on programs that produced 2019-2020 graduates
Tuition & Financial Aid
See what it costs to enroll at Central Washington University and how many students are receiving scholarships, grants, or loans as financial aid to help cover the costs of tuition.
Undergraduate Student Tuition
Average tuition and fees for academic year:
| Tuition and Fees | 2019-2020 |
|---|---|
| In-state | $8,273 |
| Out-of-state | $23,954 |
| Books and supplies | $900 |
Graduate Student Tuition
Average tuition and fees for academic year:
| Tuition and Fees | 2019-2020 |
|---|---|
| In-state | $11,537 |
| Out-of-state | $24,404 |
Undergraduate Student Financial Aid, 2018-2019
Full-time Beginning Undergraduate Students
| Type of Aid | Number Receiving Aid | % Receiving Aid | Avg. Amt. of Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any student financial aid | 1,760 | 90% | – |
| Grant or scholarship aid | 1,651 | 85% | $7,065 |
| Student loan aid | 1,103 | 57% | $6,109 |
All Undergraduate Students
| Type of Aid | Number Receiving Aid | % Receiving Aid | Avg. Amt. of Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grant or scholarship aid | 7,571 | 68% | $7,913 |
| Federal student loans | 5,435 | 49% | $6,593 |
Admissions & Enrollment
See the admission requirements for Central Washington University. Find out how many students apply and how many are accepted. View a graphical breakdown of the gender, age, and ethnicity of currently enrolled Central Washington University students.
Undergraduate Admissions, Fall 2020
| Total | Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of applicants | 11,017 | 4,726 | 6,291 | Percent admitted | 100% | 83% | 86% |
| Percent admitted who enrolled | 20% | 22% | 18% |
Admissions Considerations
| Required | Recommended | Optional | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary school GPA | |||
| Secondary school rank | |||
| Secondary school record | |||
| Completion of college-preparatory program | |||
| Recommendations | |||
| Formal demonstration of competencies | |||
| Admission test scores | |||
| Other Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.) | |||
| TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language |
Central Washington University Enrollment, Fall 2020
| Total Enrollment | 11,658 |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate enrollment | 11,111 |
| Graduate enrollment | 547 |
Undergraduate Attendance
Undergraduate Gender
Undergraduate Age
Undergraduate Race/Ethnicity
Undergraduate Distance Education
Undergraduates taking 100%, Some, or No Distance Education
Graduate Distance Education
Graduate students taking 100%, Some, or No Distance Education
Central Washington University Accreditation
This institution is accredited by Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Specialized institution accreditations:
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
- Dietetics (DIETI) - Dietetic Internship
- Didactic Program in Dietetics
- American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation
- Professional Psychology (IPSY) - Predoctoral internship programs
- National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation
- Music (MUS) - Institutions and units within institutions offering degree-granting and/or non-degree-granting programs
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
- Teacher Education (TED) - Baccalaureate and graduate programs for the preparation of teachers and other professional personnel for elementary and secondary schools
*General information for this school has been gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) database, a service provided by the U.S. Department of Education. CollegeAtlas.org does not guarantee the accuracy of information on this page. All information is subject to change. You should confirm all information with a college admissions officer.
If you work for a school and would like to update your data please contact us.