This guide covers the real cost of attending Willamette University, from the published cost of attendance and projected degree cost through to net price, median student debt at graduation, default outcomes, and how aid varies by family income.
Want a specific number? Skip ahead to any section using the links below:
The full cost of attending Willamette University amounts to about $62,112.00 annually.
Cost is shown below as the full sticker price, the average net price after aid, and the low-income net price.
| Tuition and fees | $51,156.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $10,956.00 |
| Total cost | $62,112.00 |
| That is 89% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $62,112.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$42,380.00 |
| Net price | $19,732.00 |
| That is 40% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $62,112.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$51,319.00 |
| Net price | $10,793.00 |
| That is 67% below the national average net price. | |
| For the full breakdown, see the tuition & fees page and room and board. |
The reported cost series has been increasing at a recent average of 5.0% a year, so a full degree will cost more than a single year — the tables below carry that forward. The detailed projections below compare a degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and a no-aid student. 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 | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% |
| Freshman year | $11,331.00 | $20,715.00 | $65,207.00 |
| Senior year | $13,110.00 | $23,969.00 | $75,448.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $48,825.00 | $89,263.00 | $280,979.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $18,600.00 | $34,006.00 | $107,043.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $562.00 | $1,027.00 | $3,234.00 |
| Total amount paid | $67,425.00 | $123,268.00 | $388,022.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% |
| Freshman year | $11,331.00 | $20,715.00 | $65,207.00 |
| Senior year | $11,895.00 | $21,747.00 | $68,456.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $23,226.00 | $42,463.00 | $133,663.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $8,848.00 | $16,177.00 | $50,921.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $267.00 | $489.00 | $1,538.00 |
| Total amount paid | $32,075.00 | $58,639.00 | $184,584.00 |
See the full net-price breakdown in the Net Price section.
The net price figure shows the cost after grants and scholarships are deducted. For most families it is a more realistic figure than the published cost.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $25,121.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $23,663.00 |
Net price is not the same for every family — it falls as financial need rises and grant aid increases. Here is the average net price for each family-income range:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $14,603.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $14,977.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $16,425.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $24,618.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $31,101.00 |
Estimate your specific net price using the school’s Willamette University Net Price Calculator, or reach out to the financial aid office.
Dig into how aid is awarded on the financial aid page.
The typical debt load for borrowers leaving Willamette University comes to $18,913.00, which the Department of Education classifies as a Low ($10-20k) burden category.
Across borrowers, debt at graduation distributes like this:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $5,500.00 |
| 25th | $11,000.00 |
| Median (50th) | $18,913.00 |
| 75th | $29,250.00 |
| 90th | $37,000.00 |
The 10th-to-90th-percentile spread is one signal of how variable debt outcomes are across the student body.
Dig deeper into debt on the student loan debt page.
Median debt at graduation differs meaningfully across income brackets. Below, debt is broken out by low, middle, and high family income:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $17,959.00 |
| Middle income | $19,500.00 |
| High income | $18,500.00 |
First-gen students typically face different financial-aid contexts than students whose parents attended college.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $19,352.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $18,500.00 |
First-generation graduates of Willamette University hold $852.00 more than continuing-generation graduates.
Pell Grants are the federal government’s primary need-based undergraduate aid program. Pell vs non-Pell comparisons surface how debt breaks down by need.
The gap between Pell-eligible and non-Pell median debt at Willamette University comes to $1,042.00. The Department of Education flags this school for a Pell-debt-inequity pattern.
The default-rate category at Willamette University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 2.1% |
To give some context for these rates, Stafford loans disbursed at Willamette University amount to $264,960,494.00 covering 8,282 student borrowers.
Veterans and active-duty servicemembers can tap dedicated federal aid programs including the GI Bill and Tuition Assistance from the Department of Defense.
| GI Bill recipients | 20 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $22,402.00 |
Read more about military and veteran aid on the veteran aid breakdown.
The figures above are a starting point — as you weigh Willamette University, keep these questions in mind:
Explore the related pages below for a deeper look at the cost picture:
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.