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Admissions & selectivity

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# Washington State University Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Updated September 30, 2026

[Overview](/school/washington-state-university/)[Cost & aid](/school/washington-state-university/cost/)[Outcomes](/school/washington-state-university/outcomes/)Admissions[Majors](/school/washington-state-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/washington-state-university/similar/)

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## What is the acceptance rate at Washington State University?

Washington State University’s reported acceptance rate is 86.6%.

**Acceptance rate · Fall 2024**
86.6%

Source: College Scorecard · Fall 2024 admissions. Acceptance rates can change from year to year; this figure does not predict the current or next admission cycle.

How to interpret the acceptance rate

Admission to Washington State University was relatively open in the reported cycle: 86.6% of applicants were admitted. That rate is above the median of 78.1% for comparable institutions (same type and size), so the school’s reported admission outcome was less restrictive than its peer midpoint.

## What SAT and ACT scores do Washington State University students report?

SAT and ACT ranges are not available for Washington State University in the data shown here. Missing scores do not establish whether tests are required, optional or excluded from review.

Figures cover fall 2024.

## Who enrolls at Washington State University?

**Pell Grant recipients**
27.4%

**Entering students outside the first-time, full-time group**
32.6%

**First-year retention**
78.3%

Retention source: College Scorecard; full-time first-year retention.

About these student measures

The entering-student group includes part-time entrants as well as other attendance patterns.

Washington State University serves a sizable undergraduate population with a notable share of students arriving through different routes into college. Its undergraduate enrollment is 21,099 undergraduates; 27.4% receive Pell Grants, a financial-access measure, and an estimated 32.6% enter as transfers or part-time students.

That mix suggests a campus that includes both students using federal grant aid and students continuing coursework begun elsewhere. Pell-eligible and transfer applicants should look for campus resources that address aid questions and the transition into a new academic setting.

The enrollment figures describe who attends, rather than any individual applicant’s admission prospects.

For enrolled students, the record shows most first-year students returning, but retention and completion both sit below comparable institutions. First-year retention is 78.3%, below the peer median of 83.1% for comparable institutions.

The first-time full-time cohort has a [six-year graduation rate](/analysis/what-the-graduation-rate-doesnt-count/) of 60.5%, below the peer median of 65.0%. Pell recipients complete within six years at 59.0%, below the overall rate by 1.5 percentage points.

Enrolled students can expect many classmates to return after the first year, alongside completion outcomes below the comparable-institution benchmark.

## Data & methodology

Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/).

Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth.

Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source.

Admission rates describe past applicants, not an individual’s chance of admission; confirm requirements and deadlines with the institution.

Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).