by our College Data Analytics TeamHere’s the full picture on paying for Washington State University, covering the cost range, projected degree costs, net price, debt at graduation, default rates, and aid distribution patterns.
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The full cost of attending Washington State University came in between $27,176.00 through $43,735.00 across residency tiers.
The lower figure reflects the in-state rate and the higher figure the out-of-state rate: about $27,176.00 for in-state students versus $43,735.00 for those paying out-of-state rates.
The three scenarios below move from the full sticker price, to the net price after average aid, to the net price low-income students typically pay.
| Tuition and fees | $13,391.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $13,785.00 |
| Total cost | $27,176.00 |
| That is 41% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $27,176.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$12,677.00 |
| Net price | $14,499.00 |
| That is 25% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $27,176.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$20,574.00 |
| Net price | $6,602.00 |
| That is 66% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $29,950.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $13,785.00 |
| Total cost | $43,735.00 |
| That is 127% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $43,735.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$12,677.00 |
| Net price | $31,058.00 |
| That is 61% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $43,735.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$20,574.00 |
| Net price | $23,161.00 |
| That is 20% above the national average net price. | |
| For the full breakdown, see tuition and fees plus room and board. |
Published costs have climbed year over year by roughly 2.6% per year, so the four-year total runs well above today’s cost. Below, the cost is projected across a degree for three students at once — low-income with aid, average aid, and no aid. Loan math assumes ten-year repayment at 6.8% interest.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% |
| Freshman year | $6,773.00 | $14,876.00 | $27,882.00 |
| Senior year | $7,315.00 | $16,065.00 | $30,111.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $28,168.00 | $61,861.00 | $115,948.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $10,731.00 | $23,567.00 | $44,172.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $324.00 | $712.00 | $1,334.00 |
| Total amount paid | $38,899.00 | $85,427.00 | $160,119.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% |
| Freshman year | $6,773.00 | $14,876.00 | $27,882.00 |
| Senior year | $6,949.00 | $15,262.00 | $28,606.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $13,723.00 | $30,137.00 | $56,488.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $5,228.00 | $11,481.00 | $21,520.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $158.00 | $347.00 | $650.00 |
| Total amount paid | $18,951.00 | $41,619.00 | $78,007.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% |
| Freshman year | $23,763.00 | $31,865.00 | $44,871.00 |
| Senior year | $25,662.00 | $34,412.00 | $48,458.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $98,817.00 | $132,510.00 | $186,597.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $37,646.00 | $50,482.00 | $71,087.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $1,137.00 | $1,525.00 | $2,147.00 |
| Total amount paid | $136,463.00 | $182,992.00 | $257,684.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% |
| Freshman year | $23,763.00 | $31,865.00 | $44,871.00 |
| Senior year | $24,380.00 | $32,692.00 | $46,036.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $48,142.00 | $64,557.00 | $90,907.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $18,340.00 | $24,594.00 | $34,632.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $554.00 | $743.00 | $1,046.00 |
| Total amount paid | $66,483.00 | $89,151.00 | $125,539.00 |
Read more in the net price section below.
The net price is the real out-of-pocket cost — what families pay after grant and scholarship aid is applied. For most families it is a more realistic figure than the published cost.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $14,971.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $14,401.00 |
Net price is far from uniform: lower-income families typically pay much less after aid. Here is the average net price for each family-income range:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $7,147.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $8,723.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $12,308.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $19,445.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $24,472.00 |
Run your own numbers with the Washington State University Net Price Calculator, or get in touch with the financial aid office.
Curious how grants and scholarships are distributed? Explore the financial aid breakdown.
Median graduate debt at Washington State University amounts to $14,853.00, which federal data classifies as a Low ($10-20k) debt-load classification.
Across borrowers, debt at graduation distributes like this:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $3,750.00 |
| 25th | $6,500.00 |
| Median (50th) | $14,853.00 |
| 75th | $25,000.00 |
| 90th | $32,417.00 |
The gap between 10th and 90th percentile borrowers gives a sense of how uneven debt outcomes are.
For the full borrowing and repayment picture, see the student loan debt page.
Debt outcomes vary substantially with family income. The figures below split graduating borrowers into three income brackets:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $14,597.00 |
| Middle income | $14,750.00 |
| High income | $15,000.00 |
Whether your parents attended college is associated with differences in median debt at graduation.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $14,930.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $14,702.00 |
First-generation graduates from Washington State University leave with $228.00 more debt than continuing-generation students.
Pell Grants are the largest source of federal need-based aid for undergrads. The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap reveals how borrowing differs by need.
The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap at Washington State University is $1,380.00. This school carries a federal Pell-debt-inequity flag.
The Department of Education default-rate tier for Washington State University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 2.6% |
To give some context for these rates, Stafford loans disbursed at Washington State University come to $1,656,069,794.00 covering 72,201 student borrowers.
Veterans and active-duty servicemembers can tap dedicated federal aid programs including the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Department of Defense Tuition Assistance.
| GI Bill recipients | 639 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $11,171.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 57 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $2,324.00 |
Dig into veteran education benefits on the college veterans page.
Numbers only tell part of the story. As you weigh Washington State University, think through the questions below:
For a closer look at any of these topics, follow the links below:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.