Washington University In St Louis

Washington University in St. Louis carries a published cost of attendance of $88,488, but need-based aid reshapes that figure meaningfully across income levels.

Low-income families pay approximately $1,716 per year in net price — a figure that reflects the university's commitment to meeting demonstrated financial need for qualifying students. Middle-income families see annual costs around $5,578, while higher-income families pay approximately $42,170.

Azimuth ranks Washington University In St Louis #531 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

The gap between sticker price and what families actually pay can be substantial — a dynamic explored in depth in the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/). Washington University In St Louis's aid structure is need-based, and the university applies the FAFSA and CSS Profile to determine eligibility.

Families who qualify for the strongest packages can see net prices that fall well below the headline cost of attendance, particularly at lower income levels. The spread between low- and high-income net prices reflects the depth of institutional grant funding available to students who demonstrate financial need.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $17,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $24,585; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $95,899, median federal debt of $17,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $198 under standard ten-year repayment.

For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Washington University In St Louis earn median earnings of $95,899 four years after enrollment, placing Washington University In St Louis in the 93.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure runs well above the $67,139 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).

Graduates earn about $5,691 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Washington University In St Louis in the 33.8 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Washington University In St Louis #43 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The earnings pattern reflects Washington University In St Louis's concentration in high-return fields. Business is the dominant program family, representing 19% of graduates, with Social Sciences at 13% and Engineering at 10%.

Computer Science combines strong enrollment with high earnings, making it a standout contributor to the university's overall return profile. Azimuth ranks Computer Science #21 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with 205 graduates earning median earnings of $177,066 — 1.7x the national benchmark for the field.

The Research Psychology program graduates 189 students with median earnings of $75,261, and Azimuth ranks Finance #2 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 181 graduates earning median earnings of $185,551. Economics and Anthropology round out the top programs, with graduates earning median earnings of $102,439 and $71,018 respectively four years after enrollment.

Washington University In St Louis's program mix is anchored in Business, with significant depth in quantitative social sciences, engineering, and applied health fields. Computer Science is the largest program with 205 graduates, followed by Research Psychology (189 graduates), Finance (181 graduates), Economics (105 graduates), and Anthropology (91 graduates).

Across 56 programs serving roughly 2,376 students annually, 16 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold. Business accounts for 19% of degree output, Social Sciences for 13%, and Engineering for 10%, giving the institution a business-and-social-science-forward identity with STEM breadth.

Computer Science combines the largest cohort with strong earnings, making it the program that contributes most to the institution's aggregate financial outcomes. Azimuth ranks Computer Science #21 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $177,066.

Azimuth ranks Finance #2 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 181 graduates earning $185,551 — the highest four-year earnings at the institution. Azimuth ranks Economics #38 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $102,439.

These rankings reflect concentrated strength in applied quantitative and technical fields where Azimuth's evaluation rewards both cohort scale and earnings performance. The earnings pattern at Washington University In St Louis splits along predictable lines.

Finance, Computer Science, and Research Psychology are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the national labor market directly and four-year earnings reflect actual workforce outcomes. Economics and Anthropology are more likely grad-school-dependent pathways where four-year earnings undercount lifetime trajectory because a meaningful share of graduates continue to medical, law, or doctoral programs.