Western Washington University
Academics
How strong are the academics at Western Washington University?
Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.
18:1
Student to faculty ratio
29
Average class size
40%
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.
WWU has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 18:1. 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
10-19
2-9
139
10-19
498
20-29
405
30-39
177
40-49
92
50-99
149
100+
42
Honors Programs
Western Washington University 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 WWU'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 Western Washington University:
79%
First-year retention rate
40%
4-year grad rate
65%
6-year grad rate
Majors
Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Western Washington University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:
Psychology, General
Creative Writing
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Sociology, General
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
84
114
144
174
204
234
The Full List
Major
Graduates
Area
- Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 16
- Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other 6
- American/United States Studies/Civilization 5
- Latin American Studies 3
- East Asian Studies 3
- Latin American Studies 2
- East Asian Studies 1
- Canadian Studies 0
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General 56
- Biochemistry 39
- Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 30
- Neuroscience 28
- Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography 19
- Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 1
- Biochemistry 1
- Neuroscience 1
Business
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General 93
- Business Administration and Management, General 56
- Accounting 49
- Finance, General 35
- Management Information Systems, General 34
- International Business/Trade/Commerce 22
- Management Science 19
- Operations Management and Supervision 10
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General 2
Communication
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric 100
- Journalism 37
- Journalism, Other 5
- Journalism 3
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric 1
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
- Computer and Information Sciences, General 113
- Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance 17
- Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance 1
Education
- Special Education and Teaching, General 99
- Elementary Education and Teaching 20
- Music Teacher Education 13
- Social Science Teacher Education 12
- Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 12
- Early Childhood Education and Teaching 10
- Mathematics Teacher Education 8
- Science Teacher Education/General Science Teacher Education 7
- Bilingual and Multilingual Education 7
- Earth Science Teacher Education 4
- English/Language Arts Teacher Education 4
- History Teacher Education 3
- Art Teacher Education 3
- Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs 3
- Biology Teacher Education 2
- Spanish Language Teacher Education 1
- German Language Teacher Education 0
- French Language Teacher Education 0
- Chemistry Teacher Education 0
- Computer Teacher Education 0
- Social Studies Teacher Education 0
Engineering
- Electrical and Computer Engineering 34
- Manufacturing Engineering 18
- Polymer/Plastics Engineering 17
English Language And Literature/Letters
- Creative Writing 120
- English Language and Literature, General 65
- Creative Writing 7
- English Language and Literature, General 2
Foreign Languages
- Linguistics 28
- Spanish Language and Literature 22
- Japanese Language and Literature 11
- Spanish Language and Literature 11
- German Language and Literature 5
- Linguistics 3
- French Language and Literature 3
- Chinese Language and Literature 2
- German Language and Literature 2
- Japanese Language and Literature 2
- French Language and Literature 1
- Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
- Health/Medical Preparatory Programs, Other 71
- Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 31
- Community Health and Preventive Medicine 20
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 14
- Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 2
History
- History, General 68
- History, General 2
Liberal Arts And Sciences
- Humanities/Humanistic Studies 10
- Humanities/Humanistic Studies 1
Mathematics And Statistics
- Mathematics, General 28
- Applied Mathematics, General 8
- Mathematics and Statistics 6
- Applied Mathematics, General 1
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 109
- Sustainability Studies 56
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 50
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 50
- MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES 50
- Geography and Environmental Studies 22
- Mathematics and Computer Science 17
- Marine Sciences 14
- Data Science, General 14
- Biological and Physical Sciences 12
- Data Science, General 1
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 1
Natural Resources And Conservation
- Environmental Science 107
- Environmental Studies 55
- Energy and Environmental Policy 8
- Environmental Studies 1
- Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, General 0
Parks
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology 43
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies 31
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies 1
Philosophy And Religious Studies
- Philosophy 19
- Religion/Religious Studies 6
- Philosophy 2
- Religion/Religious Studies 1
Physical Sciences
- Geology/Earth Science, General 43
- Chemistry, General 37
- Physics, General 18
- Geophysics and Seismology 7
- Chemistry, General 1
Psychology
- Psychology, General 234
- Developmental and Child Psychology 11
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
- Human Services, General 65
- Human Services, General 65
- PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS 65
- Human Services, General 1
- Human Services, General 1
- PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS 1
Social Sciences
- Sociology, General 111
- Political Science and Government, General 77
- Anthropology, General 44
- Economics, Other 25
- Economics, General 23
- Archeology 19
- Political Science and Government, General 6
- Anthropology, Other 6
- Geography 5
- Sociology, General 3
- Anthropology, General 2
- Archeology 1
- Economics, General 1
Visual And Performing Arts
- Art/Art Studies, General 64
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 32
- Design and Visual Communications, General 19
- Industrial and Product Design 13
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation 13
- Music, General 7
- Dance, General 6
- Music Performance, General 3
- Art/Art Studies, General 2
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation 2
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 2
- Music History, Literature, and Theory 1
- Music Theory and Composition 1
- Visual and Performing Arts, General 0
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