Cost & financial aid brief
Washington State University Tuition, Costs & Financial Aid
How much does Washington State University cost after financial aid?
Aid offsets a large share of the published cost for the average recipient, with lower average net prices concentrated in lower family-income bands. Aid covers about 46% of the published cost for the average aid recipient.
From the $27,648 sticker price, the average aid offset is $12,677, leaving an average net price of $14,971. Across the income bands, average net prices run from $7,074 in the lowest band through $8,971, $11,519, and $18,426, reaching $24,726 in the highest band.
This pricing pattern places the largest average reductions in the lower-income bands, while higher-income bands remain closer to the published cost.
The published cost of attendance at Washington State University is $27,648. Azimuth ranks the university #359 for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.
After grants and scholarships, the average net price for aid recipients from families earning under $30,000 is $7,074, for those earning $48,001 to $75,000 it is $11,519, and for those earning over $110,000 it is $24,726. The spread between the lowest and highest bands is $17,652.
Aid covers about 46% of the published cost for the average aid recipient, bringing the overall average net price to $14,971. That is $663 below the peer median of $15,634 for comparable institutions (same type and size).
Borrowers who complete a degree carry a median of $19,500 in federal student loans, $576 below the peer median of $20,076. 82.7% of federal aid recipients take federal loans.
Parents who borrow through the separate Parent PLUS program hold a median of $29,968. If repaid over ten years, the median federal student debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $222 a month.
Student loans: what does repayment look like?
At Washington State University, federal borrowing is common, though the median debt for borrowers who complete is below the peer benchmark. Among completers with federal loans, median federal student loan debt is $19,500.
82.7% of federal aid recipients borrow federal loans. At comparable institutions (same type and size), the peer median federal debt is $20,076; the university’s median is $576 below that figure.
Separate parent borrowers have median Parent PLUS borrowing of $29,968.
Earnings and borrowing offer a favorable return picture at Washington State University. Four years after completion, federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled have median earnings of $73,467; Azimuth places that figure in the 81st percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Graduates earn about $10,063 more than expects for similar students. Earnings beyond expectations, the gap between what graduates earn and what the model expects for similar students, falls in the 83rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Earnings scenarios based on the program mix put the downside at $52,089, the upside at $96,047, and the typical scenario at $73,467. Median federal debt at completion is $19,500, $576 below the peer median, the middle value for comparable institutions (same type and size), of $20,076.
That debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $222 a month if repaid over ten years. and debt below the peer median point the same way.
For the separate Parent PLUS parent-borrower population, median borrowing is $29,968. The student median debt corresponds to an estimated payment of $222 a month if repaid over ten years.
Repayment figures are in the Financial GPS card below. Borrowing populations and model assumptions.
Parent loans: what can the family afford?
How Parent PLUS borrowing affects families
- Median Parent PLUS debt
- $29,968
- Estimated parent payment
- $381/mo
| Income | Risk level |
|---|---|
| $35,000 | High pressure |
| $50,000 | High pressure |
| $75,000 | High pressure |
| $100,000 | Caution |
| $150,000 | Safe |
| $200,000 | Safe |
The model holds the parent balance fixed and varies parent income. Read the assumptions and limits.
Student and parent loans: the monthly payments
Financial GPS
What does repayment look like?
- Institution median student debt
- $19,500
- Institution Parent PLUS debt
- $29,968
Federal loans only; private or institutional loans aren’t included.
- Estimated student payment · monthly
- $222/mo
- Estimated Parent PLUS payment · monthly
- $381/mo
- Modeled student + parent payments
- $603/mo
Payments use school-wide median balances, not a specific major’s.
Student payment as a share of available income
At median graduate earnings of $73,467, with a $22,590 annual allowance for basic expenses:
5.2% of income above the allowance · Excellent
- Excellent Under 8% · selected scenario
- Good 8–under 12%
- Concerning 12–20%
- High risk Over 20%
How this estimate works
These are modeled earnings scenarios, not observed earnings percentiles. Annual student payments ÷ (earnings − basic-expense allowance). The starting allowance, $22,590, uses the published framework’s 2024 baseline; it is not a current local living-cost estimate. Change it for your budget, including taxes and other obligations. This combines school-level figures for illustration, not a typical individual’s budget or an official school rating. Parent PLUS is separate.
Payment assumptions
Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates.
Data & methodology
Sources and reporting periods: methodology.
Analysis and methodology by Daniel Rogers, founder of College Azimuth.
Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source.
Figure notes link to sources and limitations. About College Azimuth.
Net price and borrowing. The 2023–24 income-band averages include living costs and cover eligible first-time, full-time aid recipients; public-school figures reflect in-state tuition. They are not individual aid offers. Peer matching supplies overall net prices, not matched income-band averages. College Scorecard data and documentation.
A personal student-risk assessment also needs your major and borrowing plan; these school-level illustrations do not assign you a personal risk zone.
Payments are 10-year standard payments on the median balance, before loan fees, used as a yardstick. Rates for newly issued loans may differ, and loans made after July 1, 2026 can repay over a longer term; existing loans keep their original fixed rates. Private-loan figures from the Common Data Set are separate from these federal repayment illustrations.