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Eastern Washington University

#4 Best Education Colleges in Washington
Public Cheney, WA · Town · Far West · 93% data
B+ Earnings B Value B- Social Mobility
Graduation Rate
45% D+
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$57,897 B+
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$13,886 C+
19% less than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
91% D
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +42% vs avg
Graduation -21% vs avg
Net Price +-19% vs avg
Mobility Top 31%

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 27.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $27.6 over 20 years. Ranked #4 in Best Education Colleges in Washington.

27.6× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $27.6 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,477,690.

What The Data Says

  1. A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Earnings 42% above the national college median.

  3. Graduation of 45% — 21% below the national average.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $27.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Eastern Washington University Matters

Eastern Washington University is a public university in Cheney, WA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public University
Carnegie Class
Master's University
Enrollment
6,222
Setting
Town
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Education, Psychology, Social Sciences

Why students choose Eastern Washington University

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Strength in Business & Marketing
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C+
Top 39% overall
B+
Earnings
$57,897 median
B
Value
4.2× net price
C+
Affordability
$13,886/yr net
D+
Graduation
45% graduate
B-
Social Mobility
1.9% climb Q1→Q5
D
Selectivity
91% admit rate
C
Diversity
0.59 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With an acceptance rate of 91%, Eastern Washington University is an inviting choice for students seeking a supportive environment where they can explore diverse fields like Business, Psychology, Education, Biology, and Social Sciences. The university’s size, with around 6,222 students, fosters a sense of community while still offering a range of academic programs. This makes it a good fit for individuals who want to engage in a variety of studies and require a school that is accessible yet offers substantial academic resources.

Graduates from Eastern Washington University can expect to earn around $57,897 within ten years of completing their degree. This earning potential is particularly relevant for students who are focused on returning their investment in education. With a net price of $13,886 after financial aid, the university remains a financially viable option. Approximately 35% of students receive Pell Grants, which indicates that the school serves a diverse population, including those from lower-income backgrounds.

When considering the financial implications of attending Eastern Washington University, the median debt of $19,500 is important to note. This manageable debt level suggests that students can graduate without an overwhelming financial burden. Those who tend to thrive here are often motivated individuals who appreciate a collaborative learning atmosphere and are ready to take advantage of the opportunities available both academically and socially.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Eastern Washington University is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Eastern Washington University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Cheney, Washington, Eastern Washington University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 91%. The graduation rate is roughly 45%.

Acceptance Rate
91%
Retention Rate
67%
Full-Time Faculty
63%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$10,643
Student–Faculty Ratio
19:1
Diversity Index
0.59
First-Gen Students
36%
Applicants
4,666
Admitted
4,485

Inside the Admissions Office

School-reported Common Data Set · 2025-26

The acceptance rate tells you how hard Eastern Washington University is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 23% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school most admitted students ultimately pass on.

Yield Rate
23%
of admits enroll
Submitted SAT
7%
of enrolled freshmen
Submitted ACT
100%
of enrolled freshmen
Source: Eastern Washington University's Common Data Set, 2025-26 View the source document on collegedata.fyi →

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Eastern Washington University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Eastern Washington University is $25,959, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $13,886. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,547 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $19,500 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$8,586
Out-of-State
$25,959
Avg Net Price
$13,886
Median Debt
$19,500
Pell Grant Rate
35%
Federal Loan Rate
35%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$9,547
Family Income $30K–$48K
$10,204
Family Income $48K–$75K
$12,292
Family Income $110K+
$22,279

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Eastern Washington University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Eastern Washington University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Eastern Washington University earn a median of $57,897, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$46,469
8 Years
$52,481
10 Years
$57,897
Debt-to-Earnings
0.34x
Earning > $25K
68%

Earnings Trajectory

$46,469 6yr $52,481 8yr $57,897 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (414)
26%
100% (414)
26%
100% (414)
26%
100% (414)
26%

How Eastern Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation45%Earnings 10yr$58KNet Price$14KRetention67%Median Debt$20KPell Grant Rate35%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$10K$0-30K$10K$30-48K$12K$48-75K$22K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%6.8%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%28.2%MOBILITY1.92%

College ROI Calculator

Is Eastern Washington University Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Eastern Washington University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $13,886/year ($55,544 total). Graduates earn $57,897 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,533,234 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,477,690 (27.6× your investment). The median debt is $19,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 45% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$55,544
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,533,234
Net Return
$1,477,690
ROI Multiple
27.6×
Cost Per Year
$13,886
Median Debt
$19,500
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
45%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Eastern Washington University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Eastern Washington University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.92%, well above the typical college. About 6.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 28.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $85,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.92%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
28.2%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
6.8%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$116,708
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Eastern Washington University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Eastern Washington University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.50, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.50
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.02
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
5.9%
Support Ratio
0.98
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Investment Income
$502,891

Top Programs

The fields Eastern Washington University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Eastern Washington University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Cheney, Washington, Eastern Washington University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 91%. The graduation rate is roughly 45%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Eastern Washington University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Eastern Washington University is $25,959, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $13,886. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,547 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $19,500 in federal student loans.

Is Eastern Washington University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Eastern Washington University earn a median of $57,897, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does Eastern Washington University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Eastern Washington University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.92%, well above the typical college. About 6.8% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 28.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $85,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Eastern Washington University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Eastern Washington University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.50, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.02), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Does Eastern Washington University offer Early Decision?

No. Eastern Washington University does not report a binding Early Decision plan (2025-26 Common Data Set).

Is Eastern Washington University really test-optional?

Eastern Washington University reports test-optional admission, but most enrolled students still submit scores: about 1% of first-year students sent an SAT or ACT (2025-26 Common Data Set). Submitting strong scores is the norm here.

What percentage of admitted students enroll at Eastern Washington University?

About 23% of admitted students choose to enroll at Eastern Washington University — its yield rate (2025-26 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys