University of Washington acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
University of Washington, a public university in Washington, reports a 39% acceptance rate and sits in the selective band. In practice that means it admits a minority of applicants, so a strong application is judged against an applicant pool that is already self-selected.
Use this page to see what University of Washington weighs, where it ranks among Washington schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1450, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at University of Washington?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into University of Washington?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into University of Washington, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into University of Washington?
Your odds at University of Washington are not the same as its 39% acceptance rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for University of Washington in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is University of Washington hard to get into?
University of Washington is selective: it admits a minority of applicants, with about a 39% acceptance rate. A solid academic record puts you in good position, and the rest of your profile can tip the result either way.
What GPA do you need to get into University of Washington?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at University of Washington, but admitted students commonly present roughly a 3.5 to 3.9 GPA. University of Washington reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
What SAT score do you need for University of Washington?
University of Washington does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1450. A score at or above that range strengthens your application, while a lower score puts more weight on your rigor, activities, and essays. CollegeCalcAI shows how your exact score shifts your odds at University of Washington.
Your chances at University of Washington by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at University of Washington for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at University of Washington with a 3.5 GPA and a 1390 SAT?
About 53% (Likely), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.5 unweighted GPA and a 1390 SAT, the middle of University of Washington's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.8 GPA with a 1450 SAT comes out near 72%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/university-of-washington.
Early Decision, Early Action and the waitlist at University of Washington
From University of Washington's own 2025-26 Common Data Set (fall 2025 entering class): sections C1, C2, C21-C22 and D2.
Does University of Washington have early decision?
No. University of Washington reported no Early Decision plan in its 2025-26 Common Data Set.
How many students get off the waitlist at University of Washington?
2,252 for fall 2025. University of Washington offered 15,363 applicants a waitlist spot, 8,350 accepted one, and 2,252 were admitted from it: 27% of those who stayed on (University of Washington's 2025-26 Common Data Set).
What is the transfer acceptance rate at University of Washington?
42.3%: 2,469 of 5,830 transfer applicants were admitted for fall 2025 (University of Washington's 2025-26 Common Data Set).
Source: University of Washington Common Data Set 2025-26. Read from the document twice independently; only matching figures are shown. See how early rounds compare across colleges in the Early Decision rankings.
How to get into University of Washington
Built from University of Washington's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
There is no formula that guarantees a spot at University of Washington, but the applicants who get in tend to do the same four things. Here is what the numbers say each one looks like.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at University of Washington carries about a 3.57 core GPA and a 1400 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Landing at or above it makes you competitive; the rest of the file decides.
University of Washington rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by University of Washington's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.washington.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to University of Washington, and how many get in?
University of Washington admitted 26,552 of the 62,428 students who applied for fall 2023, which works out to 42.5%. 7,011 enrolled. Only about 26% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. University of Washington enrolls about 31,942 undergraduates in total, 57% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 20 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for University of Washington?
University of Washington reports that it neither requires nor recommends test scores, so admission turns on your transcript, rigor, and the rest of the file.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What University of Washington looks for
What University of Washington weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
The factors that carry the most weight at University of Washington are rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from University of Washington's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at University of Washington
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does University of Washington cost after financial aid?
University of Washington's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $32,446 per year. Tuition and fees are $12,973 for WA residents and $43,209 for out-of-state students, a $30,236 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $14,091 a year, and it ranges from $6,384 for families earning under $30,000 to $30,019 for families earning over $110,000. 15% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do University of Washington graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of Washington student who received federal aid earns $78,466 a year, up from $62,979 at six years. 85% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 95% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $14,615; 15% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How University of Washington compares in Washington
University of Washington ranks #2 most selective of 15 schools in Washington in our database.
Among the 15 Washington schools we track, University of Washington ranks #2 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Whitman College (38%) and Walla Walla University (65%) sit nearby, which makes Washington a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to University of Washington
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Applicants targeting University of Washington often weigh Binghamton University, Clemson University, and University of Central Florida, which sit at a similar level. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is University of Washington's acceptance rate?
University of Washington admitted 26,552 of 62,428 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 42.5% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 26% of admitted students enrolled.
Is University of Washington test-optional?
University of Washington reports that it neither requires nor recommends test scores.
How much does University of Washington cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Washington, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $14,091 a year against a sticker price of about $32,446. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $6,384 on average.
What do University of Washington graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering University of Washington are $78,466 a year among students who received federal aid, and 85% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does University of Washington value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, University of Washington weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does University of Washington favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, University of Washington generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at University of Washington?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at University of Washington specifically.
Is University of Washington a target or a reach for an average applicant?
For an applicant whose GPA and scores sit near University of Washington's admitted range, it generally reads as a target rather than a reach. Run your exact profile through the free calculator to see your personal verdict.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.