Central Washington University
Central Washington University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Central Washington University Featured Rankings
About Central Washington University
According to Wikipedia, Central Washington University is a public university in Ellensburg, Washington. Founded in 1891, the university consists of four divisions: the President's Division, Business and Financial Affairs, Operations, and Academic and Student Life . Within ASL are four colleges: the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Business , the College of Education and Professional Studies, and College of the Sciences. CWU is considered an emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution and 15 percent of its students are Hispanic.
Central Washington University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6,829 | 91% | 70% | 51% |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Central Washington University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $9,655 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $15,410 |
| 30K - 48K | $15,245 |
| 48K - 75K | $18,026 |
| 75K - 110K | $24,509 |
| 110K+ | $29,759 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Central Washington University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Central Washington University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $65,578 a year, and 91% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Central Washington University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 20,461 | 19,638 | 823 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Central Washington University?
Central Washington University is located at 400 East University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926.
How Safe is Central Washington University?
Relative to its enrollment, Central Washington University has a violent crime rate of 0.08% and a property crime rate of 0.04%. Ellensburg has a violent crime rate of 0.22% and a property crime rate of 2.22%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Central Washington University Known For?
Central Washington University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Anthropology
- Earth Sciences
- Psychology
- Computer Science
- Social Work
- Education
- Business
- Criminal Justice
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Philosophy
- Sociology
- Communications
- History
- Political Science
- Economics
- Medical
- Engineering
- Physics
- Literature
- Mathematics
Central Washington University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Central Washington University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Central Washington University ranks #170 in the U.S. and #520 worldwide for influence in Anthropology.
anthropology DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #176 in the U.S. and #723 worldwide for influence in Earth Sciences.
earth-science DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #299 in the U.S. and #741 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #355 in the U.S. and #1604 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #388 in the U.S. and #977 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #424 in the U.S. and #1796 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #452 in the U.S. and #1599 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #501 in the U.S. and #942 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #514 in the U.S. and #2188 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #526 in the U.S. and #2570 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #554 in the U.S. and #1858 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #557 in the U.S. and #1925 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #606 in the U.S. and #2242 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #611 in the U.S. and #1812 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #617 in the U.S. and #2623 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #627 in the U.S. and #3720 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #692 in the U.S. and #2487 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #764 in the U.S. and #4305 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #796 in the U.S. and #3356 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #1045 in the U.S. and #3128 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesCentral Washington University ranks #1069 in the U.S. and #4133 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesWho Are Central Washington University's Most Influential Alumni?
Central Washington University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Anthropology, Earth Sciences, and Psychology. Here are some of Central Washington University's most famous alumni:
- Daniel D. McCracken
- An American computer scientist, academic, educator and writer .
- Mary Lee Jensvold
- An American animal communication expert.
- Boyd Haley
- An American chemist.
- Jim Mattis
- A US Marine Corps general in retirement and former US secretary of defense.
- Craig T. Nelson
- An American actor.
- Brian Thompson
- An American actor.
- Valerie Jenness
- An Author, researcher, public policy advisor, and professor.
- W. Hudson Kensel
- A Historian of the American West.
- Christine Sleeter
- A Professor, author.
- Alvin Eli Amason
- A Native American painter and sculptor, born 1948.
- Miesha Tate
- An American mixed martial artist.
- Tanner Swanson
- An American baseball coach.
