Quad

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Computer Science (7% of graduates). 7 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 92% of colleges. 73% of faculty are full-time. Spends $181,929 a year on instruction per student.

Most popular majors

2,170 bachelor's degrees, 2024–25 graduates

The top 5 programs account for 28% of graduates; 92 programs in 21 fields awarded at least one.

  1. Computer Science 11.07017.4% 160
    Graduates in this field earn $177,066 4 years out
  2. Experimental Psychology 42.27045.9% 127
    Graduates in this field earn $75,261 4 years out
  3. Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 45.06034.9% 107
    Graduates in this field earn $102,439 4 years out
  4. Mechanical Engineering 14.19014.9% 107
    Graduates in this field earn $95,965 4 years out
  5. Finance, General 52.08014.7% 101
    Graduates in this field earn $185,551 4 years out

Fastest-growing field: Computer science, 3.3% → 8.7% of graduates since 2014–15 (189 graduates in 2024–25).

Source:IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2014–15 to 2024–25About the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)

Bachelor's degrees awarded July through June, by federal program name (), which can differ from what the college calls a major. A double major counts once, under the ; its other field is a . Earnings are College Scorecard's median for graduates of the program's broader field (), 4 years after completion; see Top-earning majors below.

Top-earning majors here

By earnings 4 years after completion

  1. Finance and Financial Management Services$185,551 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $102,814

    4 years after completion$185,551
    National median: $83,343Above typical

    Median federal debt: $19,500 · 331 graduates, two most recent years combined

  2. Computer Science$177,066 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $110,302

    4 years after completion$177,066
    National median: $107,009Above typical

    Median federal debt: $15,250 · 386 graduates, two most recent years combined

  3. Business/Managerial Economics$162,355 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $106,701

    4 years after completion$162,355
    National median: $77,981Above typical

    Median federal debt: Too few graduates to report · 112 graduates, two most recent years combined

  4. Systems Engineering$119,297 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $83,874

    4 years after completion$119,297
    National median: $105,185Above typical

    Median federal debt: $23,139 · 45 graduates, two most recent years combined

  5. Chemical Engineering$107,843 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $69,801

    4 years after completion$107,843
    National median: $98,158Above typical

    Median federal debt: Too few graduates to report · 58 graduates, two most recent years combined

Bachelor's programs only, among graduates who received federal financial aid and were working (not enrolled in school) in the measurement year.

Students per faculty member vs. every college7 to 1
7 to 1
← Fewer students per facultyfewer students per faculty member than 92% of 1,892More students per faculty →

The college also reports 7 to 1 in its Common Data Set (7,763 students, 1,112 faculty).

Not the average class size: faculty also teach graduate students and do research, and large lectures can sit alongside small seminars.

Class sizes

65%

of classes have fewer than 20 students; 9% have 50 or more

Under 20 students 20 or moreStudents per class section
Undergraduate class sections by number of students
StudentssectionsShare
2–952927%
10–1973938%
20–2926413%
30–391246%
40–491156%
50–991297%
100+563%

This counts class sections, not students: a lecture of 300 is one section, so a student is more likely to sit in a large class than the share of sections suggests. Labs and discussion sections are counted separately and left out here.

Programs & curriculum

  • Accelerated program
  • Cross-registration
  • Distance learning
  • Double major
  • Dual enrollment
  • Independent study
  • Internships
  • Liberal arts/career combination
  • Student-designed major
  • Teacher certification
  • Study abroad
  • Undergraduate research

Requires coursework in English composition.

Full-time faculty73%
National median: 67%Above typical
Average faculty salary

$154,054

9-month equated, all ranks combined. Pay tracks local cost of living as much as a college's generosity.

Spending and endowment

Fiscal 2023–24. Compared only against other private nonprofit colleges: public and private colleges report finances on different accounting forms that aren't comparable.

Instruction spending per student$181,929
$181,929
← Lessmore than 100% of 1,199More →
Endowment per student$721,776
$721,776
← Lessmore than 97% of 1,065More →

Sources:IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard Field of Study data, most recent release;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks), Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures, 2023–24;Washington University in St Louis Common Data Set 2024–25, Fall 2024;Washington University in St Louis Common Data Set 2024–25, 2024–25;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)