OSU vs. Washington State

Should I go to Oregon State University or Washington State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if OSU or Washington State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Oregon State University vs. Washington State University comparison
Oregon State University Washington State University College 3 College 4
Oregon State University Washington State University
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Overview

 OSU Washington State
Location Corvallis, OR Pullman, WA
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 35,622 26,490
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #379 #385
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website oregonstate.edu wsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 OSU Washington State
Tuition (In State) $11,145 $10,976
Tuition (Out of State) $33,315 $27,052
Room & Board $15,075 $13,131
Avg Net Price $21,868 $18,155
Avg Grant Aid $9,922 $10,370
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 87%

Admission

 OSU Washington State
Applied 29,025 26,166
Admitted 22,886 22,335
Acceptance Rate 78.8% 85.4%
Enrolled % 20.5% 19%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 20/26
SAT Range 1120/1370 1020/1210
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026 Jan 31, 2026

Academics

 OSU Washington State
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Biology (6%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

 OSU Washington State
Graduation Rate 61% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,900 $54,400
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $20,429
Median Loan Payment $242 $211

Diversity

 OSU Washington State
% Men 7% 7%
% Women 8% 10%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 67% 63%
% Black 1% 3%
% Hispanic 9% 13%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 8%
% International 6% 5%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 OSU Washington State
% In-State 57% 83%
% Out-of-State 40% 15%

Campus

 OSU Washington State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Oregon State University is larger than than Washington State based on total student enrollment (35,622 students vs. 26,490 students)

OSU vs. Washington State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, OSU or Washington State?

  • Oregon State University is 1.5% more expensive to attend than Washington State for in-state tuition ($11,145.00 vs. $10,976.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.2% higher at OSU than Washington State University ($33,315.00 vs. $27,052.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Washington State University than OSU ($18,155 vs. $21,868)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Washington State University are 14.8% lower than costs at Oregon State University ($13,131 vs. $15,075)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Oregon State University than Washington State University (89% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Washington State University students is 4.5% larger than aid received Oregon State University ($10,370 vs. $9,922)

OSU vs. Washington State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, OSU or Washington State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Washington State or OSU .

  • The average SAT score at Oregon State University (1113) is 74 points higher than at Washington State (1039)
  • Incoming OSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Washington State (23)
  • Accepted freshman OSU students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Washington State (3.5)
  • Washington State has a higher acceptance rate (85.4%) than OSU (78.8%)

OSU vs. Washington State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, OSU or Washington State? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Washington State and OSU.

  • The graduation rate at Washington State is higher than Oregon State University (67% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from Washington State University earn on average $500 more per year than OSU graduates after ten years. ($54,400 vs. $53,900)
  • Washington State University students graduate with a $3,071 lower median federal student loan debt than OSU graduates. ($20,429 vs. $23,500)
  • Washington State graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than OSU graduates. ($211 vs. $242)
  • More Washington State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former OSU students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 66%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/