Facts About WSU

Quick Facts

1890 year founded
6 campuses (Pullman, Spokane, Tri-Cities, Everett, Vancouver, Global)
200+ undergraduate major, minors, certificates, and specializations
140+ graduate programs and certificates
$421.8 million in financial aid and scholarships awarded to undergrads in 2019-20
75% of undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid or scholarships
24,278 undergraduate students enrolled systemwide (fall 2021)
5,565 graduate students enrolled systemwide (fall 2021)
9,571 students of color
9,510 first-generation students
2,313 faculty
15:1 student/faculty ratio
148 countries and states represented by student body
3.46 average high school GPA of entering first-year students
$335.2 million annual research expenditures (FY2020)
200,000+ alumni worldwide
15 NCAA Division 1 sports

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ACCOMPLISHED FACULTY

4 Faculty most-cited in the world

Dan “Annie” Du, Dogan Gursoy, Kris Kowdley, and Yuehe Lin are among the top 1% of the world’s most highly cited researchers—an honor recognizing faculty who have demonstrated significant influence in their fields through publication of multiple highly cited papers during the past decade.

11 National Academy members

A mark of excellence in science and one of the highest honors that a scientist can receive. Two faculty were elected in 2022 to the National Academy of Sciences:

John Browse

Charlotte Martin Distinguished Professor in Agricultural Research

Regents Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Biological Chemistry

Tim Kohler

Regents Professor Emeritus of Archaeology and Evolutionary Anthropology

External Professor, Santa Fe Institute

30+ Regents professors

Faculty who have attained the highest level of professional achievement in their fields and served the university for at least 7 years. This rank is limited to no more than 30 current WSU faculty members annually.

Faculty nationally recognized for their scientific and technical expertise and their desire to contribute their expertise to inform issues in Washington state

51 Washington State Academy of Science members
90% with terminal degrees

Percentage of full-time faculty with a doctoral or equivalent terminal degree in their field

LIFE CHANGING STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES

WSU’s top student scholars annually receive some of the most distinguished national scholarships and awards granted to college students in the U.S. During the past 5 years, students have earned:

Giman International Scholarships33
Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships11
Fullbright Scholarships7
Udall Undergraduate Scholarships5
Truman Scholarships2
Rhodes Scholarship finalaist designations2

HELPING WASHINGTON
AND THE WORLD

66,558 Annual Student Volunteer Hours

Each year thousands of WSU students serve the greater good as volunteers, leaders in student organizations, peer tutors, and stellar role models.

Inspiring entrepreneurial ideas

About 150 students annually compete as venture teams for nearly $75,000 in cash and in-kind prizes while presenting their ideas for new businesses.

5,741 Participants (2019-20)

ACTIVE, TALENTED ALUMNI

60+ Regent’s Distinguished Alumnus Award winners

Each year the university’s honors an alumnus/a who has made significant contributions to society and, through their accomplishments, brought attention to the quality of a WSU degree.

Among the extraordinary people who have received the award:

John Fabian

an astronaut aboard space shuttle Challenger II

Matsuyo Omori Yamamoto

the founder of home economics extension in Japan

Orville Vogel

the wheat breeder who sparked the Green Revolution

Edward R. Murrow

the founding father of broadcast journalism

Laurence Peter

the creator of The Peter Principle

1,900+ WSU Alumni Association events worldwide annually

From reunions and gatherings before Cougar athletic contests to career seminars and mentorship, travel opportunities, tasting events, and much more, WSU alumni worldwide come together to support their alma mater and stay connected to the university family.

23,000+ WSU speciality license plates: No. 1 in the state

The number of loyal Cougar alumni worldwide, which creates a powerful network. Alums live in all 50 states and 146 countries.

The number of loyal Cougar alumni worldwide, which creates a powerful network. Alums live in all 50 states and 146 countries.

200,000+ alumni
44,000+ WSU Alumni Association members

Membership in the WSUAA, a major university support group, has tripled since 2003, making the WSUAA the fastest-growing alumni association in the nation.

THOUSANDS of enthusiastic volunteers

The success of the Alumni Association is driven by thousands of spirited alumni who commit their time, talents, and treasure to advance the university. Volunteers come together based on geography, special interests, and cultural background—meaning there’s a multitude of ways to network with fellow Cougs and reconnect with WSU.