Back to Colleges

Basic Information

Type Private, Liberal Arts
Geographical Reach National
Religious Affiliation United Methodist
Location Salem, OR
Population 450,000
Website http://www.willamette.edu/
Map of the United States

Weather

Comfortable Days 135 (97% 😎)
Sunshine Hours 2,342 (18%)
Days Without Precipitation 211 (8% ☔)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 1,630
Men / Women 39% / 61%
From State 32%
From Region 39%
Athletes 30.0%

Racial/Ethnic

White 65%
Hispanic 15%
Mixed 9%
Asian 4%
Black 2%
International 2%
Native American 1%

Men in the Entering Class

Men
0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 41.8% 41.8% 2012 Men: 47.0% 47.0% 2013 Men: 46.6% 46.6% 2014 Men: 42.1% 42.1% 2015 Men: 43.6% 43.6% 2016 Men: 44.7% 44.7% 2017 Men: 41.1% 41.1% 2018 Men: 43.1% 43.1% 2019 Men: 41.2% 41.2% 2020 Men: 44.8% 44.8% 2021 Men: 41.9% 41.9% 2022 Men: 39.9% 39.9% 2023 Men: 39.2% 39.2% 2024 Men: 38.7% 38.7%

Entering Class by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Native: 0.5% 0.5% 2012 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2013 Native: 1.1% 1.1% 2014 Native: 1.0% 1.0% 2015 Native: 1.8% 1.8% 2016 Native: 1.2% 1.2% 2017 Native: 4.1% 4.1% 2018 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2019 Native: 2.0% 2.0% 2020 Native: 0.7% 0.7% 2021 Native: 0.8% 0.8% 2022 Native: 1.3% 1.3% 2023 Native: 1.6% 1.6% 2024 Native: 1.0% 1.0% 2011 Asian: 6.8% 6.8% 2012 Asian: 6.8% 6.8% 2013 Asian: 4.7% 4.7% 2014 Asian: 5.4% 5.4% 2015 Asian: 6.7% 6.7% 2016 Asian: 8.0% 8.0% 2017 Asian: 5.8% 5.8% 2018 Asian: 8.0% 8.0% 2019 Asian: 7.5% 7.5% 2020 Asian: 11.1% 11.1% 2021 Asian: 10.2% 10.2% 2022 Asian: 7.6% 7.6% 2023 Asian: 7.7% 7.7% 2024 Asian: 5.2% 5.2% 2011 Black: 1.8% 1.8% 2012 Black: 0.6% 0.6% 2013 Black: 1.8% 1.8% 2014 Black: 1.5% 1.5% 2015 Black: 2.0% 2.0% 2016 Black: 1.2% 1.2% 2017 Black: 2.4% 2.4% 2018 Black: 1.0% 1.0% 2019 Black: 2.8% 2.8% 2020 Black: 2.4% 2.4% 2021 Black: 2.7% 2.7% 2022 Black: 3.0% 3.0% 2023 Black: 0.7% 0.7% 2024 Black: 1.8% 1.8% 2011 Hispanic: 3.6% 3.6% 2012 Hispanic: 3.5% 3.5% 2013 Hispanic: 3.4% 3.4% 2014 Hispanic: 3.5% 3.5% 2015 Hispanic: 6.1% 6.1% 2016 Hispanic: 7.0% 7.0% 2017 Hispanic: 7.0% 7.0% 2018 Hispanic: 12.6% 12.6% 2019 Hispanic: 13.0% 13.0% 2020 Hispanic: 12.1% 12.1% 2021 Hispanic: 12.7% 12.7% 2022 Hispanic: 13.6% 13.6% 2023 Hispanic: 13.2% 13.2% 2024 Hispanic: 18.1% 18.1% 2011 White: 61.4% 61.4% 2012 White: 59.3% 59.3% 2013 White: 61.0% 61.0% 2014 White: 63.7% 63.7% 2015 White: 66.2% 66.2% 2016 White: 70.3% 70.3% 2017 White: 61.6% 61.6% 2018 White: 63.6% 63.6% 2019 White: 62.2% 62.2% 2020 White: 60.5% 60.5% 2021 White: 61.0% 61.0% 2022 White: 62.9% 62.9% 2023 White: 60.2% 60.2% 2024 White: 63.7% 63.7% 2011 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2012 International: 0.2% 0.2% 2013 International: 0.9% 0.9% 2014 International: 0.2% 0.2% 2015 International: 0.4% 0.4% 2016 International: 0.7% 0.7% 2017 International: 0.3% 0.3% 2018 International: 1.1% 1.1% 2019 International: 1.5% 1.5% 2020 International: 2.5% 2.5% 2021 International: 0.6% 0.6% 2022 International: 1.1% 1.1% 2023 International: 0.7% 0.7% 2024 International: 0.5% 0.5%

Share of the full-time first-time degree-seeking cohort. Groups IPEDS reports separately — two or more races, and race unknown — are left out, so the lines don't sum to 100%.

Enrolled Undergraduates by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2020 Native: 1.1% 1.1% 2021 Native: 1.1% 1.1% 2022 Native: 0.9% 0.9% 2023 Native: 1.1% 1.1% 2024 Native: 1.2% 1.2% 2025 Native: 1.0% 1.0% 2020 Asian: 5.7% 5.7% 2021 Asian: 6.3% 6.3% 2022 Asian: 5.6% 5.6% 2023 Asian: 4.7% 4.7% 2024 Asian: 3.9% 3.9% 2025 Asian: 4.0% 4.0% 2020 Black: 1.5% 1.5% 2021 Black: 1.9% 1.9% 2022 Black: 1.9% 1.9% 2023 Black: 1.8% 1.8% 2024 Black: 2.5% 2.5% 2025 Black: 2.5% 2.5% 2020 Hispanic: 14.8% 14.8% 2021 Hispanic: 15.2% 15.2% 2022 Hispanic: 14.9% 14.9% 2023 Hispanic: 15.1% 15.1% 2024 Hispanic: 14.4% 14.4% 2025 Hispanic: 15.0% 15.0% 2020 White: 65.2% 65.2% 2021 White: 62.5% 62.5% 2022 White: 65.4% 65.4% 2023 White: 66.3% 66.3% 2024 White: 65.8% 65.8% 2025 White: 65.0% 65.0% 2020 International: 0.8% 0.8% 2021 International: 0.8% 0.8% 2022 International: 0.9% 0.9% 2023 International: 1.0% 1.0% 2024 International: 1.4% 1.4% 2025 International: 1.6% 1.6%

Share of all full-time degree-seeking undergraduates, not just the entering class. Same excluded groups as above.

IPEDS Admissions (2011–2024), Graduation Rates (2011–2024) and 12-month Enrollment (2020–2025) surveys. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Schools & Majors

⇅ Trends Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn
University of the Northwest (Willamette University) 270 44% 64% 5% 1% 14% 1% $61,938 49 96%
Computer Science 12 +3 75% 58% 25% 0% 8% 0% $94,473 92 96% —
Data Science 12 +9 75% 75% 8% 0% 8% 0% $82,860 84 — —
Chemistry 8 — 12% 62% 12% 0% 25% 0% $75,104 76 88% —
Mathematics 4 — 50% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $75,223 76 — —
Physics 11 — 73% 64% 0% 0% 18% 0% $84,460 86 100% —
Biology 13 — 46% 62% 0% 0% 23% 0% $46,480 10 92% —
Environmental Science 21 +2 38% 76% 0% 5% 5% 0% $61,875 49 100% —
Exercise Science 15 — 67% 67% 0% 0% 7% 0% $47,076 11 94% —
Public Health 14 +2 21% 57% 0% 0% 21% 0% $60,239 44 — —
Business Administration 14 — 71% 29% 7% 7% 29% 7% $100,353 95 95% —
Economics 21 +1 76% 71% 0% 5% 14% 0% $70,786 69 95% —
Archaeology 6 — 33% 67% 0% 0% 0% 0% $49,722 15 — —
Asian Studies — — — — — — — — $50,806 18 — —
Classical Languages — — — — — — — — $44,957 8 — —
English 10 +4 40% 80% 0% 0% 0% 0% $47,019 11 94% —
History 7 +4 43% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $56,197 32 95% —
Interdisciplinary Studies 2 — 50% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $53,979 26 — —
Italian Studies — — — — — — — — $50,766 18 — —
Korean Studies 6 +4 50% 67% 17% 0% 0% 0% $50,490 17 — —
Philosophy 5 +1 60% 80% 0% 0% 0% 0% $51,605 20 — —
Religious Studies — — — — — — — — $50,428 17 — —
Spanish 1 +2 100% 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% $39,864 4 93% —
Women's Studies — — — — — — — — $48,046 12 — —
American Politics 21 +1 33% 52% 5% 0% 33% 5% $64,147 55 96% —
Anthropology 1 — 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% $47,913 12 — —
Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis 8 — 12% 50% 0% 0% 38% 12% $52,455 22 — —
Humanities 1 — 0% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% — — — —
International Studies 6 — 33% 67% 0% 0% 0% 0% $52,914 23 — —
Media Studies 11 +1 27% 64% 9% 0% 9% 0% $65,681 59 100% —
Psychology 14 — 21% 64% 14% 0% 14% 0% $44,590 8 93% —
Sociology 11 +3 18% 45% 0% 9% 36% 9% $46,882 11 94% —
Art History 1 +1 100% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% $30,209 2 100% —
Film Studies — +1 — — — — — — $32,498 2 — —
Music 3 +1 0% 67% 33% 0% 0% 0% $32,538 2 — —
Studio Art 4 +2 0% 50% 25% 0% 0% 0% $30,209 2 100% —
Theater 7 — 29% 86% 0% 0% 0% 0% $34,878 2 — —

Financial

Tuition & Fees $54,736
ROI Percentile 49th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 86%
4-Year Graduation Rate 62%
6-Year Graduation Rate 71%
Transfer-Out Rate 0%

Six-Year Graduation Rate

Graduated
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Graduated: 77.0% 77.0% 2012 Graduated: 76.8% 76.8% 2013 Graduated: 78.8% 78.8% 2014 Graduated: 77.2% 77.2% 2015 Graduated: 79.5% 79.5% 2016 Graduated: 77.8% 77.8% 2017 Graduated: 73.1% 73.1% 2018 Graduated: 73.7% 73.7% 2019 Graduated: 69.0% 69.0% 2020 Graduated: 73.7% 73.7% 2021 Graduated: 72.0% 72.0% 2022 Graduated: 76.1% 76.1% 2023 Graduated: 72.7% 72.7% 2024 Graduated: 71.2% 71.2%

Students finishing within 150% of normal time. Each year labels the cohort that entered six years earlier — 2024 tracks the class that started in 2018.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Gender

Men Women
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 73.5% 73.5% 2012 Men: 72.5% 72.5% 2013 Men: 73.8% 73.8% 2014 Men: 74.5% 74.5% 2015 Men: 76.9% 76.9% 2016 Men: 69.3% 69.3% 2017 Men: 66.7% 66.7% 2018 Men: 65.2% 65.2% 2019 Men: 62.6% 62.6% 2020 Men: 67.7% 67.7% 2021 Men: 70.0% 70.0% 2022 Men: 71.4% 71.4% 2023 Men: 67.4% 67.4% 2024 Men: 67.5% 67.5% 2011 Women: 80.0% 80.0% 2012 Women: 80.4% 80.4% 2013 Women: 83.2% 83.2% 2014 Women: 79.1% 79.1% 2015 Women: 81.6% 81.6% 2016 Women: 84.7% 84.7% 2017 Women: 77.7% 77.7% 2018 Women: 81.3% 81.3% 2019 Women: 74.6% 74.6% 2020 Women: 78.1% 78.1% 2021 Women: 73.5% 73.5% 2022 Women: 79.8% 79.8% 2023 Women: 76.4% 76.4% 2024 Women: 74.1% 74.1%

IPEDS reports the cohort as men and women only.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity

Asian Hispanic White
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Asian: 70.0% 70.0% 2012 Asian: 69.7% 69.7% 2013 Asian: 85.7% 85.7% 2014 Asian: 76.9% 76.9% 2015 Asian: 80.6% 80.6% 2016 Asian: 88.2% 88.2% 2017 Asian: 72.2% 72.2% 2018 Asian: 83.3% 83.3% 2019 Asian: 75.6% 75.6% 2020 Asian: 78.7% 78.7% 2021 Asian: 71.7% 71.7% 2022 Asian: 77.8% 77.8% 2023 Asian: 70.6% 70.6% 2024 Asian: 70.0% 70.0% 2011 Hispanic: 81.2% 81.2% 2012 Hispanic: 76.5% 76.5% 2013 Hispanic: 73.3% 73.3% 2014 Hispanic: 88.2% 88.2% 2015 Hispanic: 87.9% 87.9% 2016 Hispanic: 80.0% 80.0% 2017 Hispanic: 76.7% 76.7% 2018 Hispanic: 68.2% 68.2% 2019 Hispanic: 66.2% 66.2% 2020 Hispanic: 70.1% 70.1% 2021 Hispanic: 74.2% 74.2% 2022 Hispanic: 62.5% 62.5% 2023 Hispanic: 67.2% 67.2% 2024 Hispanic: 71.4% 71.4% 2011 White: 79.6% 79.6% 2012 White: 78.0% 78.0% 2013 White: 77.1% 77.1% 2014 White: 79.8% 79.8% 2015 White: 79.1% 79.1% 2016 White: 77.3% 77.3% 2017 White: 72.9% 72.9% 2018 White: 73.7% 73.7% 2019 White: 71.7% 71.7% 2020 White: 74.3% 74.3% 2021 White: 73.0% 73.0% 2022 White: 80.5% 80.5% 2023 White: 75.5% 75.5% 2024 White: 72.4% 72.4%

Each group's completers over its own share of the entering cohort. Groups making up less than 2% of everyone this college graduated over the period are left off — their rates swing on a handful of students and read as noise.

IPEDS Graduation Rates survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male White Asian Black Hispanic Intl Earnings ROI Employment Debt-to-Earn
Social Sciences 27.0% 73 25% 56% 5% 1% 23% 4% $55,480 30 96% —
Humanities 13.7% 37 46% 78% 3% 0% 3% 0% $50,559 17 94% —
Business & Economics 13.0% 35 74% 54% 3% 6% 20% 3% $82,613 84 95% —
Health Sciences 10.7% 29 45% 62% 0% 0% 14% 0% $53,431 24 94% —
Computer Science 8.9% 24 75% 67% 17% 0% 8% 0% $88,667 89 96% —
Physical Sciences & Math 8.5% 23 48% 70% 4% 0% 17% 0% $79,599 81 95% —
Agriculture & Food Science 7.8% 21 38% 76% 0% 5% 5% 0% $61,875 49 100% —
Arts 5.6% 15 20% 73% 13% 0% 0% 0% $32,854 2 100% —
Life & Natural Sciences 4.8% 13 46% 62% 0% 0% 23% 0% $46,480 10 92% —

Research

⇅ Research $ Rank Federal Industry $ PhDs Rank PhD students Postdocs
Humanities & Social Sciences $0.5M #392 12% $0 — — — —
Physical Sciences & Math $0.3M #475 61% $0 — — — —
Life & Natural Sciences $0.2M #483 69% $0 — — — —
Health Sciences $0.1M #367 0% $0 — — — —
Business & Economics $0.1M #370 0% $0 — — — —
Computer Science $0.1M #426 46% $0 — — — —
Agriculture & Food Science $0 #318 — $0 — — — —
Education $0 #457 — $0 — — — —
Engineering $0 #449 — $0 — — — —
Total $1.2M #546 34% $0 — — — —

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Admissions

Uses Common App Yes
Acceptance Rate 77%
Yield (non-ED) 14%
Early Decision 1 Nov 1
Early Action Nov 1
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 77% 77% 77%
Early Decision 57% 57% 57%

Early Action and Restrictive Early Action applicants are reported at the regular-decision rate.

Acceptance & Yield

Acceptance Yield
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Acceptance: 40.6% 40.6% 2012 Acceptance: 83.1% 83.1% 2013 Acceptance: 57.8% 57.8% 2014 Acceptance: 81.3% 81.3% 2015 Acceptance: 77.9% 77.9% 2016 Acceptance: 78.1% 78.1% 2017 Acceptance: 89.1% 89.1% 2018 Acceptance: 83.6% 83.6% 2019 Acceptance: 77.9% 77.9% 2020 Acceptance: 80.2% 80.2% 2021 Acceptance: 79.6% 79.6% 2022 Acceptance: 80.6% 80.6% 2023 Acceptance: 79.1% 79.1% 2024 Acceptance: 77.1% 77.1% 2011 Yield: 18.6% 18.6% 2012 Yield: 9.8% 9.8% 2013 Yield: 11.6% 11.6% 2014 Yield: 11.9% 11.9% 2015 Yield: 10.6% 10.6% 2016 Yield: 9.8% 9.8% 2017 Yield: 11.0% 11.0% 2018 Yield: 11.1% 11.1% 2019 Yield: 12.0% 12.0% 2020 Yield: 10.1% 10.1% 2021 Yield: 8.9% 8.9% 2022 Yield: 16.3% 16.3% 2023 Yield: 15.5% 15.5% 2024 Yield: 14.3% 14.3%

Applicants, Admitted & Enrolled

Applicants Admitted Enrolled
0 2,500 5,000 7,500 10,000 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Applicants: 8,175 8,175 2012 Applicants: 6,462 6,462 2013 Applicants: 8,109 8,109 2014 Applicants: 5,729 5,729 2015 Applicants: 6,332 6,332 2016 Applicants: 6,181 6,181 2017 Applicants: 4,484 4,484 2018 Applicants: 4,206 4,206 2019 Applicants: 3,972 3,972 2020 Applicants: 4,010 4,010 2021 Applicants: 3,680 3,680 2022 Applicants: 3,994 3,994 2023 Applicants: 4,107 4,107 2024 Applicants: 3,832 3,832 2011 Admitted: 3,318 3,318 2012 Admitted: 5,370 5,370 2013 Admitted: 4,690 4,690 2014 Admitted: 4,658 4,658 2015 Admitted: 4,935 4,935 2016 Admitted: 4,825 4,825 2017 Admitted: 3,995 3,995 2018 Admitted: 3,518 3,518 2019 Admitted: 3,095 3,095 2020 Admitted: 3,215 3,215 2021 Admitted: 2,930 2,930 2022 Admitted: 3,219 3,219 2023 Admitted: 3,249 3,249 2024 Admitted: 2,954 2,954 2011 Enrolled: 617 617 2012 Enrolled: 525 525 2013 Enrolled: 545 545 2014 Enrolled: 553 553 2015 Enrolled: 521 521 2016 Enrolled: 474 474 2017 Enrolled: 440 440 2018 Enrolled: 390 390 2019 Enrolled: 371 371 2020 Enrolled: 324 324 2021 Enrolled: 260 260 2022 Enrolled: 524 524 2023 Enrolled: 504 504 2024 Enrolled: 421 421

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional
Submitted Test Scores 27%
SAT Range 1240 – 1440
SAT Math Range 600 – 710
SAT RW Range 640 – 730

SAT Composite

25th 75th
800 1000 1200 1400 1600 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 1100 1100 2012 25th: 1120 1120 2013 25th: 1080 1080 2014 25th: 1080 1080 2015 25th: 1100 1100 2023 25th: 1220 1220 2024 25th: 1240 1240 2011 75th: 1320 1320 2012 75th: 1340 1340 2013 75th: 1310 1310 2014 75th: 1320 1320 2015 75th: 1330 1330 2023 75th: 1430 1430 2024 75th: 1440 1440

SAT Math

25th 75th
400 500 600 700 800 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 540 540 2012 25th: 560 560 2013 25th: 540 540 2014 25th: 540 540 2015 25th: 550 550 2023 25th: 590 590 2024 25th: 600 600 2011 75th: 650 650 2012 75th: 660 660 2013 75th: 650 650 2014 75th: 650 650 2015 75th: 660 660 2023 75th: 700 700 2024 75th: 710 710

SAT Reading & Writing

25th 75th
400 500 600 700 800 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 560 560 2012 25th: 560 560 2013 25th: 540 540 2014 25th: 540 540 2015 25th: 550 550 2023 25th: 630 630 2024 25th: 640 640 2011 75th: 670 670 2012 75th: 680 680 2013 75th: 660 660 2014 75th: 670 670 2015 75th: 670 670 2023 75th: 730 730 2024 75th: 730 730

Submitting a Test Score

Submitted
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2012 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2013 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2014 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2015 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2022 Submitted: 0.0% 0.0% 2023 Submitted: 39.0% 39.0% 2024 Submitted: 27.0% 27.0%

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line. Test-score submission adds SAT and ACT submitters, capped at 100% — a student can send both.