Washington University in St. Louis
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Washington University in St. Louis?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

7:1
Student to faculty ratio
23
Average class size
87%
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.

WashU has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 7:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
510
10-19
775
20-29
268
30-39
110
40-49
106
50-99
114
100+
61

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 Washington University in St. Louis:

96%
First-year retention rate
87%
4-year grad rate
94%
6-year grad rate

The average base annual salary of students who were employed within six months of graduation is $83,061. This is higher than the national average of $48,300.

$83,061
$48,300 (National Average)

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Washington University in St. Louis' most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Computer Science
Experimental Psychology
Finance, General
Mechanical Engineering
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
56.2
83.56
110.92
138.28
165.64
193

The Full List

Major Graduates
Architecture And Related Services
  • Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology 41
  • Architecture 3
Area
  • African-American/Black Studies 14
  • American/United States Studies/Civilization 13
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 12
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 11
  • African-American/Black Studies 7
  • American/United States Studies/Civilization 4
  • East Asian Studies 2
  • Latin American Studies 2
  • Near and Middle Eastern Studies 2
  • East Asian Studies 1
  • Near and Middle Eastern Studies 1
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 79
  • Neuroscience 48
  • Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Other 28
  • Environmental Biology 18
  • Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Other 14
  • Microbiology, General 10
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 8
  • Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Other 4
  • Neuroscience 3
  • Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Other 2
  • Environmental Biology 2
  • Ecology 1
  • Ecology 1
Business
  • Finance, General 114
  • Finance, General 67
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 44
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 35
  • Business/Managerial Economics 33
  • Business/Managerial Economics 32
  • Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General 30
  • Accounting 19
  • Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General 18
  • Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies 17
  • Accounting 14
  • Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management 9
  • Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management 9
  • Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies 7
  • Knowledge Management 3
  • Business Administration and Management, General 1
  • Knowledge Management 0
Communication
  • Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 1
  • Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 1
  • Mass Communication/Media Studies 0
  • Journalism 0
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 193
  • Computer Science 12
  • Information Technology 3
Education
  • Education, General 10
  • Education, General 2
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 1
  • Secondary Education and Teaching 1
  • Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching 0
  • Secondary Education and Teaching 0
  • English/Language Arts Teacher Education 0
  • Social Science Teacher Education 0
Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering 89
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 55
  • Chemical Engineering 30
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 23
  • Systems Engineering 23
  • Computer Engineering, General 21
  • Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering 4
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 1
  • Systems Engineering 1
  • Engineering, General 0
  • Engineering, Other 0
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Engineering/Industrial Management 18
  • Engineering/Industrial Management 0
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 19
  • Creative Writing 15
  • English Language and Literature, General 1
  • Creative Writing 1
Foreign Languages
  • Spanish Language and Literature 21
  • French Language and Literature 6
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 5
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 5
  • Linguistics 4
  • Linguistics 4
  • Chinese Language and Literature 4
  • Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 4
  • Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 4
  • Japanese Language and Literature 3
  • Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 3
  • Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 3
  • French Language and Literature 3
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 3
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 3
  • Comparative Literature 2
  • Spanish Language and Literature 2
  • Comparative Literature 1
  • Japanese Language and Literature 1
  • Korean Language and Literature 1
  • Korean Language and Literature 1
  • Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 1
  • Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 1
  • Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 1
  • Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 1
  • Arabic Language and Literature 1
  • Arabic Language and Literature 1
  • Chinese Language and Literature 0
  • Iranian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 0
  • Italian Language and Literature 0
  • Hebrew Language and Literature 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Health/Health Care Administration/Management 17
  • Health/Health Care Administration/Management 14
  • HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS 3
  • Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 3
  • Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 3
  • Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Other 3
History
  • History, General 18
  • History, General 11
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Humanities/Humanistic Studies 1
  • Humanities/Humanistic Studies 1
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 0
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 47
  • Mathematics, General 30
  • Applied Mathematics, General 2
  • Statistics, General 2
  • Statistics, General 1
  • Mathematics, Other 0
  • Applied Mathematics, General 0
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Cognitive Science, General 50
  • International/Globalization Studies 48
  • Mathematics and Computer Science 28
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 15
  • Economics and Computer Science 8
  • Cognitive Science, General 6
  • International/Globalization Studies 4
  • Ancient Studies/Civilization 3
  • Mathematics and Computer Science 1
  • Ancient Studies/Civilization 1
  • MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES 0
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 0
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 0
  • Sustainability Studies 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General 11
  • Environmental Science 8
  • Environmental Studies 4
  • Environmental Studies 4
  • Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General 2
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 9
  • Philosophy 5
  • Philosophy, Other 4
  • Religion/Religious Studies 3
  • Philosophy, Other 1
  • Religion/Religious Studies 1
Physical Sciences
  • Physics, General 14
  • Chemistry, Other 11
  • Chemistry, General 9
  • Geochemistry 3
  • Chemistry, General 2
  • Astrophysics 1
  • Chemistry, Other 1
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 1
  • Geophysics and Seismology 1
  • Geophysics and Seismology 1
  • Physics, General 1
Psychology
  • Experimental Psychology 129
  • Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics 36
  • Experimental Psychology 21
  • Psychology, General 8
  • Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics 3
  • Industrial and Organizational Psychology 2
Social Sciences
  • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 74
  • Political Science and Government, General 66
  • Medical Anthropology 43
  • Anthropology, General 28
  • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 26
  • Sociology, General 18
  • Political Science and Government, General 16
  • Anthropology, General 10
  • Medical Anthropology 10
  • Economics, General 5
  • Sociology, General 5
  • Urban Studies/Affairs 2
  • International Relations and Affairs 1
  • Urban Studies/Affairs 1
  • Archeology 0
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Design and Visual Communications, General 49
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 17
  • Design and Visual Communications, General 11
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 8
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 7
  • Film/Cinema/Media Studies 5
  • Music, General 5
  • Film/Cinema/Media Studies 4
  • Cinematography and Film/Video Production 4
  • Music, General 4
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 3
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 3
  • Sculpture 3
  • Printmaking 3
  • Dance, General 2
  • Fashion/Apparel Design 1
  • Fashion/Apparel Design 1
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 1
  • Cinematography and Film/Video Production 1
  • Intermedia/Multimedia 1
  • Painting 1
  • Dance, General 0
  • Photography 0

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