- Acceptance rate: 93% for fall 2024
- Average high school GPA: 3.42, as reported by the college for 2025–26
- SAT, middle 50%: 590–710 reading and writing, 560–680 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 24–31 composite
- Average net price: $22,096 a year (2022–23)
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How does your GPA compare?
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Where you standEnter your GPA
Type your GPA to compare it with what Western Washington University reported: an average GPA of 3.42 (2025–26), an acceptance rate of 93% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 24–31.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Western Washington University reviews each application.
Western Washington University average GPA
Western Washington University reported an average high school GPA of 3.42 for its first-year students who submitted one (99% did), in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether it's weighted or unweighted.
How their high school GPAs were spread:
| High school GPA | Share of first-year students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | |
| 3.75–3.99 | |
| 3.50–3.74 | |
| 3.25–3.49 | |
| 3.00–3.24 | |
| 2.50–2.99 | |
| 2.00–2.49 |
An average, not a cutoffColleges calculate GPA in different ways, so these figures can't be compared directly with your own GPA.
Western Washington University acceptance rate
Western Washington University admitted 13,162 of 14,115 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 93%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Western Washington University is a public 4-year university in Bellingham, Washington, with 13,752 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Western Washington University in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 590 | 660 | 710 |
| SAT Math | 560 | 620 | 680 |
| ACT Composite | 24 | 28 | 31 |
| ACT English | 24 | 29 | 33 |
| ACT Math | 22 | 25 | 28 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1289 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Western Washington University looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Considered if submitted |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Considered if submitted |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Considered if submitted |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Considered if submitted |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Not considered |
AP credit
Western Washington University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It doesn't award credit for life experience.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $22,096 a year at Western Washington University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Can a 3.0 GPA get you into Western Washington University?
It would be on the low side there: 20% of Western Washington University's first-year students who submitted a GPA had one below 3.0, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set, and it admitted 93% of applicants for fall 2024. Colleges calculate GPA in different ways, so compare on the same scale and look at your courses and test scores too.
Do you need SAT or ACT scores to apply to Western Washington University?
Check Western Washington University's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Western Washington University was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 9% sent SAT scores and 2% sent ACT scores.
What are Western Washington University's SAT and ACT score ranges?
The middle 50% of Western Washington University's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 590–710 in reading and writing and 560–680 in math; ACT composite 24–31, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
What GPA do most Western Washington University students have?
50% of Western Washington University's first-year students who submitted a high school GPA had 3.50 or higher, and the largest group (25%) had 3.75–3.99, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether these GPAs are weighted or unweighted.
What GPA does Western Washington University look for?
Western Washington University doesn't set a minimum GPA we could verify. Its first-year students averaged 3.42, as reported by the college in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether that average is weighted or unweighted.
How many applicants get into Western Washington University?
Western Washington University's acceptance rate was 93% for fall 2024: it admitted 13,162 of 14,115 first-year applicants, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Western Washington University hard to get into?
Not for most prepared students: at least 3 in 4 applicants got in. Western Washington University admitted 93% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
How much does GPA matter at Western Washington University?
A lot: Western Washington University requires high school GPA, high school record and essay or personal statement. It considers high school class rank, college preparatory program, recommendations, test scores, demonstration of competencies and work experience if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests and legacy status. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Does Western Washington University accept AP credit?
Yes. Western Washington University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
What is the average net price at Western Washington University?
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $22,096 a year at Western Washington University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Before you apply, check Western Washington University's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Western Washington UniversityU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- Western Washington University Common Data Set 2025–26Western Washington University: average high school GPA of first-year students and how their GPAs were spread.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
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