University of Washington
Academics
How strong are the academics at University of Washington?
Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.
20:1
Student to faculty ratio
40
Average class size
74%
4-year grad rate
Class Sizes
Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.
UW has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 20:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.
Class Sizes
Most Common
20-29
2-9
234
10-19
408
20-29
546
30-39
267
40-49
162
50-99
352
100+
252
Honors Programs
University of Washington has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.
Learn more about honors options on UW's website.
Outcomes
It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at University of Washington:
95%
First-year retention rate
74%
4-year grad rate
85%
6-year grad rate
Majors
Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are University of Washington's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:
Computer Science
Research and Experimental Psychology, Other
Informatics
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
Public Health, General
221
279.8
338.6
397.4
456.2
515
The Full List
Major
Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
- Food Science 0
Architecture And Related Services
- Architecture 64
- Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology 42
- City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning 35
- Landscape Architecture 8
- Architecture and Related Services, Other 0
- Architectural History and Criticism, General 0
- Interior Architecture 0
- Environmental Design/Architecture 0
Area
- Area Studies, Other 98
- Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 31
- Women's Studies 18
- Area Studies, Other 17
- Asian Studies/Civilization 11
- American Indian/Native American Studies 6
- Scandinavian Studies 5
- Latin American Studies 5
- European Studies/Civilization 3
- Women's Studies 2
- Asian Studies/Civilization 2
- Scandinavian Studies 1
- African-American/Black Studies 0
- Korean Studies 0
- Japanese Studies 0
- German Studies 0
- Chinese Studies 0
- Canadian Studies 0
- Southeast Asian Studies 0
- South Asian Studies 0
- Russian Studies 0
- Near and Middle Eastern Studies 0
- Russian, Central European, East European and Eurasian Studies 0
- East Asian Studies 0
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
- Biochemistry 270
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General 194
- Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 147
- Physiology, General 123
- Microbiology, General 88
- Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography 54
- Neurobiology and Anatomy 54
- Ecology, Evolution, Systematics and Population Biology, Other 21
- Botany/Plant Biology 14
- Microbiology, General 9
- Neurobiology and Anatomy 6
- Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 5
- Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography 5
- Physiology, General 2
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General 1
- Environmental Biology 0
- Biomedical Sciences, General 0
- Zoology/Animal Biology 0
Business
- Finance, General 257
- Accounting 136
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other 121
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General 102
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General 98
- Management Science 45
- Finance, General 40
- Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies 30
- Business Administration and Management, General 27
- Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General 11
- Management Science 8
- Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General 5
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other 2
- Construction Management, General 0
- Transportation/Mobility Management 0
Communication
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric 304
- Journalism 33
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric 14
- Journalism 1
- Political Communication 0
- Radio and Television 0
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
- Computer Science 515
- Informatics 365
- Information Technology 117
- Information Technology 107
- Human-Centered Technology Design 74
- Computer Science 10
- Informatics 8
Education
- Education, General 101
- Early Childhood Education and Teaching 94
- Music Teacher Education 10
- Mathematics Teacher Education 8
- Education, General 8
- Music Teacher Education 2
- Mathematics Teacher Education 1
- Early Childhood Education and Teaching 1
- Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor 0
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other 0
- Psychology Teacher Education 0
- Latin Teacher Education 0
- Geography Teacher Education 0
- Speech Teacher Education 0
- Spanish Language Teacher Education 0
- Physics Teacher Education 0
- History Teacher Education 0
- German Language Teacher Education 0
- French Language Teacher Education 0
- Drama and Dance Teacher Education 0
- Chemistry Teacher Education 0
- Biology Teacher Education 0
- Social Studies Teacher Education 0
- Social Science Teacher Education 0
- Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education 0
- Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 0
- Technology Teacher Education/Industrial Arts Teacher Education 0
- Family and Consumer Sciences/Home Economics Teacher Education 0
- Health Teacher Education 0
- Foreign Language Teacher Education 0
- English/Language Arts Teacher Education 0
- Business and Innovation/Entrepreneurship Teacher Education 0
- Art Teacher Education 0
- Elementary Education and Teaching 0
- Special Education and Teaching, Other 0
- Bilingual and Multilingual Education 0
Engineering
- Electrical and Computer Engineering 169
- Mechanical Engineering 143
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering 140
- Civil Engineering, General 79
- Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 78
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General 64
- Chemical Engineering 52
- Materials Engineering 41
- Computer Engineering, General 30
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering 29
- Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering 28
- Industrial Engineering 21
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering 5
- Metallurgical Engineering 0
- Forest Engineering 0
- Mining and Mineral Engineering 0
- Engineering, Other 0
- Operations Research 0
- Ceramic Sciences and Engineering 0
English Language And Literature/Letters
- English Language and Literature, General 96
- Creative Writing 31
- English Language and Literature, General 10
- Creative Writing 6
- General Literature 0
- Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing 0
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
- Apparel and Textile Manufacture 0
- Apparel and Textiles, General 0
- Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General 0
Foreign Languages
- Linguistics 39
- Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other 24
- Japanese Language and Literature 17
- Japanese Language and Literature 13
- Linguistics 12
- Spanish Language and Literature 12
- French Language and Literature 12
- Spanish Language and Literature 11
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 8
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 8
- Chinese Language and Literature 6
- Comparative Literature 6
- Korean Language and Literature 5
- Chinese Language and Literature 4
- Russian Language and Literature 4
- Korean Language and Literature 3
- Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 3
- Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 3
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 2
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 2
- Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other 2
- French Language and Literature 2
- Norwegian Language and Literature 2
- Danish Language and Literature 1
- Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other 1
- Latin Language and Literature 1
- Latin Language and Literature 1
- Norwegian Language and Literature 1
- Swedish Language and Literature 1
- Ancient/Classical Greek Language and Literature 1
- Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 1
- Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 1
- Russian Language and Literature 1
- Italian Language and Literature 0
- Uralic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 0
- Slavic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 0
- Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 0
- East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 0
- East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 0
- Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 0
- Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 0
- Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 0
- Swedish Language and Literature 0
- South Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 0
- South Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
- Public Health, General 270
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 205
- Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 45
- Health Information/Medical Records Administration/Administrator 44
- Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 35
- Environmental Health 23
- Public Health, General 11
- Environmental Health 2
- Public Health Education and Promotion 2
- Physician Associate/Assistant 0
- Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic) 0
- Physical Therapy/Therapist 0
- Clinical Nutrition/Nutritionist 0
- Occupational Therapy/Therapist 0
- Pharmacoeconomics/Pharmaceutical Economics 0
- Dental Hygiene/Hygienist 0
- Orthotist/Prosthetist 0
- Community Health and Preventive Medicine 0
- Dietetics/Dietitian 0
History
- History, General 74
- History, Other 37
- History, General 14
- History, Other 6
- History and Philosophy of Science and Technology 1
Homeland Security
- Corrections and Criminal Justice, Other 0
Legal Professions And Studies
- Legal Studies 104
- Non-Professional Legal Studies 104
- LEGAL PROFESSIONS AND STUDIES 104
- Legal Studies 19
- Non-Professional Legal Studies 19
- LEGAL PROFESSIONS AND STUDIES 19
Liberal Arts And Sciences
- General Studies 1
- General Studies 1
- Humanities/Humanistic Studies 0
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 0
Library Science
- Library and Information Science 0
Mathematics And Statistics
- Mathematics, General 151
- Applied Mathematics, General 69
- Applied Mathematics, Other 38
- Statistics, General 31
- Computational Mathematics 29
- Mathematics, General 20
- Statistics, General 8
- Mathematics, Other 3
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
- Human Biology 127
- Nutrition Sciences 109
- Geography and Environmental Studies 34
- Human Computer Interaction 21
- Human Biology 18
- Nutrition Sciences 8
- Geography and Environmental Studies 1
- Natural Sciences 0
- Behavioral Sciences 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
- Environmental Science 119
- Environmental Studies 98
- Environmental Studies 6
- Environmental Science 1
- Natural Resources and Conservation, Other 0
- Wildlife, Fish and Wildlands Science and Management 0
- Forestry, Other 0
- Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician 0
- Urban Forestry 0
- Forest Management/Forest Resources Management 0
- Forest Sciences and Biology 0
- Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management 0
Parks
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, Other 0
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General 0
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General 0
Philosophy And Religious Studies
- Philosophy 59
- Ethics 15
- Philosophy 11
- Ethics 3
- Jewish/Judaic Studies 1
- Islamic Studies 0
- Religion/Religious Studies 0
Physical Sciences
- Chemistry, General 76
- Physics, General 62
- Astronomy 41
- Physics, General 40
- Oceanography, Chemical and Physical 27
- Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other 19
- Atmospheric Chemistry and Climatology 13
- Geology/Earth Science, General 12
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General 10
- Chemistry, General 8
- Geophysics and Seismology 6
- Oceanography, Chemical and Physical 5
- Atmospheric Chemistry and Climatology 3
Psychology
- Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 462
- Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 71
- Psychology, General 0
- Psychology, Other 0
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
- Social Work 44
- Social Work 4
Social Sciences
- Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 241
- Political Science and Government, General 218
- Sociology, General 158
- Geographic Information Science and Cartography 103
- Political Science and Government, General 78
- Sociology, General 57
- Political Science and Government, Other 55
- Social Sciences, General 47
- Anthropology, General 39
- Archeology 22
- Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 14
- Political Science and Government, Other 10
- Anthropology, General 8
- Geographic Information Science and Cartography 5
- Social Sciences, General 2
- Archeology 1
Visual And Performing Arts
- Art/Art Studies, General 139
- Film/Cinema/Media Studies 78
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation 21
- Design and Visual Communications, General 20
- Industrial and Product Design 15
- Dance, General 11
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 11
- Acting 9
- Directing and Theatrical Production 6
- Musicology and Ethnomusicology 3
- Music, General 3
- Music Theory and Composition 3
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation 3
- Acting 3
- Jazz/Jazz Studies 2
- Voice and Opera 2
- Music Performance, General 2
- Music, General 2
- Music History, Literature, and Theory 1
- Film/Cinema/Media Studies 1
- Dance, General 1
- Keyboard Instruments 1
- Stringed Instruments 1
- Music History, Literature, and Theory 0
- Theatre Literature, History and Criticism 0
- Graphic Design 0
- Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other 0
- Jewelry Arts 0
- Printmaking 0
- Visual and Performing Arts, Other 0
- Ceramic Arts and Ceramics 0
- Painting 0
- Photography 0
- Interior Design 0
- Percussion Instruments 0
- Fiber, Textile and Weaving Arts 0
- Sculpture 0
- Music, Other 0
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