CWU-Ellensburg vs BYU-Idaho

Central Washington University (CWU) and Brigham Young University-Idaho (BYU-Idaho) are two distinct institutions of higher learning that offer unique educational experiences. CWU, a public university located in Ellensburg, Washington, boasts an acceptance rate of 88%, while BYU-Idaho, a private university in Rexburg, Idaho, has a more selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 58%. Both universities offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, with CWU excelling in fields like business, education, and nursing, and BYU-Idaho specializing in areas such as engineering, computer science, and performing arts. CWU's student body is more diverse, with a larger international student population, while BYU-Idaho's student body is predominantly composed of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Additionally, CWU has a higher graduation rate of 54% compared to BYU-Idaho's 49%. To help you make an
Brigham Young University-Idaho logo

Brigham Young University-Idaho

Central Washington University logo

Central Washington University

Overview

Location Rexburg, Idaho Ellensburg, Washington
Campus setting Town: Distant Town: Distant
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 67.0% 69.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation Mormon

Admission

Acceptance rate 96.6% 88.4%
Application fees $35
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $75
SAT range 990 - 1200 N/A
ACT range 20 - 26 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 31.0%
Students submitting ACT score 50.0%
Total number of applicants 9,963 10,767
Total number of admissions given out 9,621 9,523
Admitted students who chose to enroll 4,858 1,371
Yield rate 50.5% 14.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $12,880
In state: $22,248

Out of state: $38,776
Average net price $6,327 $17,645
Tuition $4,416
In state: $6,656

Out of state: $23,184
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,645

Meal plan: $7,957
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

45.0%
Average amount $6,132
80.0%
Average amount $7,378
Students receiving federal student loan 18.0%
Average amount $5,882
41.0%
Average amount $4,834
Students taking out private loans 0.0%
Average amount $4,811
2.0%
Average amount $14,197

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 44,304
Men 43.7% Women 56.3%
9,566
Men 47.0% Women 53.0%
Graduate students N/A 610
Men 37.4% Women 62.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 6.7%
International students 3.4% 2.7%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 1,162 3,755
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Washington California Oregon Hawaii Arkansas

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Liberal Arts
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Education
  • Business
  • Social Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio 20:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 49.6% 53.6%
Dropout rate 25.4% 44.0%
Transferred out 18.1% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,097
  • Year 2: $77,966
  • Year 3: $89,777
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,778
  • Year 2: $73,635
  • Year 3: $84,400
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,924
  • Year 2: $66,653
  • Year 3: $76,101
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,318
  • Year 2: $64,493
  • Year 3: $70,703
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,955
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $67,614
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,669
  • Year 2: $61,218
  • Year 3: $65,263
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,593
  • Year 2: $54,209
  • Year 3: $63,131
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,585
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $61,312
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,429
  • Year 2: $46,924
  • Year 3: $54,022
Computer Software and Media Applications (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,978
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $53,390
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $72,482
  • Year 3: $86,230
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,538
  • Year 2: $71,168
  • Year 3: $82,194
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,024
  • Year 2: $65,486
  • Year 3: $79,944
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,531
  • Year 2: $61,020
  • Year 3: $77,665
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,052
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $69,645
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,580
  • Year 2: $56,979
  • Year 3: $69,564
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $55,151
  • Year 3: $62,577
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $44,170
  • Year 3: $61,531
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,008
  • Year 2: $39,369
  • Year 3: $58,391
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,842
  • Year 2: $50,606
  • Year 3: $58,240

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