Computer Science at University of Washington – Seattle Campus

We’ve gathered data and other essential information about the program, such as the average salary of graduates, ethnicity of students, how many students graduated in recent times, and more. Also, learn how UW Seattle ranks among other schools offering degrees in compsci.

The University of Washington (UW) is a public research university that was founded in 1861 and is located in Seattle, Washington. It has over 45,000 students enrolled at its campus and offers degrees at both undergraduate and graduate levels. The Computer Science department at UW offers several different degree programs: Bachelor of Science (BS), Master of Science (MS), and Doctorate (PhD).

The acceptance rate for this college is 52%. The average GPA for admitted applicants is 3.5 on a 4-point scale. The acceptance rate here is 52%, which means there are more than half as many applicants who are rejected by this school than accepted. For those who do get accepted into this program, they can expect an average SAT score range of 1450-1520/2400 or an ACT score range of 32-35/36 composite

• Available Degrees
• Rankings
• Popularity
• Earnings
• Student Debt
• Student Demographics
• Related Majors

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Computer Science Degrees Available at UW Seattle

• Bachelor’s Degree in CompSci
• Master’s Degree in CompSci

UW Seattle CompSci Rankings

UW Seattle is in the top 10% of the country for compsci. More specifically it was ranked #32 out of 502 schools by College Factual. It is also ranked #1 in Washington.

Ranking Type	Rank
Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Computer Science	15
Best Computer Science Master’s Degree Schools	28
Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Computer Science	28
Best Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree Schools	30
Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Computer Science	30
Most Popular Master’s Degree Colleges for Computer Science	68
Most Popular Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Computer Science	111
Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Computer Science	111
Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Computer Science	185
Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Computer Science	194

Popularity of CompSci at UW Seattle

During the 2019-2020 academic year, University of Washington – Seattle Campus handed out 360 bachelor’s degrees in computer science. Due to this, the school was ranked #23 out of all colleges and universities that offer this degree. This is an increase of 5% over the previous year when 360 degrees were handed out.

In 2020, 21 students received their master’s degree in compsci from UW Seattle. This makes it the #112 most popular school for compsci master’s degree candidates in the country.

How Much Do CompSci Graduates from UW Seattle Make?

$92,000BACHELOR’S MEDIAN SALARY

Salary of CompSci Graduates with a Bachelor’s Degree

The median salary of compsci students who receive their bachelor’s degree at UW Seattle is $92,000. This is great news for graduates of the program, since this figure is higher than the national average of $63,700 for all compsci bachelor’s degree recipients.

How Much Student Debt Do CompSci Graduates from UW Seattle Have?

$15,641BACHELOR’S MEDIAN DEBT

Student Debt of CompSci Graduates with a Bachelor’s Degree

While getting their bachelor’s degree at UW Seattle, compsci students borrow a median amount of $15,641 in student loans. This is not too bad considering that the median debt load of all compsci bachelor’s degree recipients across the country is $22,813.

The typical student loan payment of a bachelor’s degree student from the compsci program at UW Seattle is $162 per month.

CompSci Student Diversity at UW Seattle

Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the compsci majors at University of Washington – Seattle Campus.

Is UW Seattle a Good Match for You?

UW Seattle Computer Science Bachelor’s Program

During the 2019-2020 academic year, 378 compsci majors earned their bachelor’s degree from UW Seattle. Of these graduates, 70% were men and 30% were women.

The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from University of Washington – Seattle Campus with a bachelor’s in compsci.

Ethnic Background	Number of Students
Asian	133
Black or African American	3
Hispanic or Latino	6
White	116
Non-Resident Aliens	96
Other Races	24

UW Seattle Computer Science Master’s Program

For the most recent academic year available, 72% of compsci master’s degrees went to men and 28% went to women.

The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from University of Washington – Seattle Campus with a master’s in compsci.

Ethnic Background	Number of Students
Asian	6
Black or African American	0
Hispanic or Latino	0
White	7
Non-Resident Aliens	29
Other Races	1

Most Popular Majors Related to CompSci

Related Major	Annual Graduates
Computer Information Systems	824
Information Science	169
Information Technology	92

How to Get Into the University of Washington: Admissions Data & StrategiesFebruary 17, 2021APPLICATION STRATEGIES, COLLEGE SEARCH/KNOWLEDGE, NAVIGATING THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

Sitting in the company of other top public university gems like UCLA, UNC-Chapel Hill, UVA, the University of Michigan, and UT-Austin, the University of Washington-Seattle perhaps flies a bit under the radar. Yet, like the others, UW-Seattle is consistently ranked as a top-20 public institution in the U.S., possessing a magnetic pull that attracts high-achievers from all around the country and even world—over 36% of the Husky undergraduate population hails from out-of-state and overseas.

Even more impressively, UW-Seattle’s undergraduate programs in business, engineering, and computer science can be found at the very top of any ranking; they are U.S. News neighbors with the likes of Princeton, MIT, and Georgia Tech. The 32,046 undergrads who attend this school, affectionately nicknamed “U-Dub”, own increasingly eye-popping academic credentials with each passing year—the average freshman in 2021 has SAT/ACT scores above the 90th percentile and pretty darn close to an A-average.

Given this enhanced level of selectivity, this article is intended to offer prospective UW-Seattle applicants:

1) An understanding of what you are up against.

2) More data on which to accurately assess your chances of admission.

3) Advice for how to get your application to the University of Washington stand out, even against other superb applicants, particularly for those applying from out-of-state.

To accomplish these goals we will touch on the following topics:

• The University of Washington’s Class of 2024 acceptance rate
• SAT/ACT, GPA, and class rank of accepted University of Washington applicants
• Admissions trends from the Class of 2024
• The University of Washington’s system for rating applicants
• A look at the demographics of current UW-Seattle undergraduates
• The percent of accepted students that attend the University of Washington (yield rate)
• Tips for applying to the University of Washington
• How to assess whether applying to the University of Washington is even worth the $80 application fee (for you)

Let’s begin with an examination of the most recent admissions data.

The University of Washington Acceptance Rate – Class of 2024

There were 43,778 applications for admission into the Husky Class of 2024. Of that group, 24,386 individuals or 55.7% were accepted. The previous year, 52% were admitted into the Class of 2023. Out-of-staters were accepted at a 51% clip, while the admit rate for residents was a friendlier 59%.

The University of Washington Admissions – SAT/ACT, GPA, and Class Rank

For those admitted into the Class of 2024 the mid-50% SAT range was 1220-1440. Admitted students from Washington possessed an average SAT score of 1220-1440 while out-of-staters scored 1370-1500. The overall ACT range was 27-33 although non-residents possessed a superior 30-34. Admitted Huskies had a mid-50 GPA range of 3.72-3.95.

Among students who actually went on to enroll in the Class of 2023, the median SAT score was 1340 and the median ACT result was a 30. Fifty-nine percent placed in the top 10% of their high school class, 89% were in the top quartile, and 99% were in the top half. The average high school GPA earned was a 3.8.

Admissions Trends & Notes

• Students admitted directly to the College of Engineering had a mid-50% SAT range of 1400-1530 and an ACT range of 32-25.
• Students admitted directly to the Paul G. Allen College of Computer Science had a mid-50% SAT range of 1420-1560 and an ACT range of 34-36.
• The 75th percentile SAT/ACT scores a decade ago are equal to today’s average scores; in other words, test scores are on the rise at this school.
• Of the 3,040 students placed on the Class of 2023 waitlist, 2,394 were ultimately accepted. The lesson? If you get offered a place on the waitlist, say yes!
• Over 30% of incoming UW-Seattle students will be the first in their family to attain a bachelor’s degree.

How the University of Washington Rates Applicants

The University of Washington rates three factors as “very important” to the admissions process: rigor of high school course load, GPA, and the application essays. Items that are “important” as part of the admissions process are: standardized test scores, first-generation status, volunteer work, paid work, extracurricular activities, and talent/ability. Considered factors are: character/personal qualities and state residency.

The admissions office wants applicants to know that “despite receiving in excess of 43,000 applications each year, your application will receive a holistic and in-depth review.” In addition to the items of importance mentioned above, the following also receive consideration:

• Taking full advantage of the senior year
• Demonstrating a positive grade trend
• Demonstrating a commitment to community service and leadership
• Exercising significant responsibility in a family, community, employment situation or through activities
• Attaining a college-preparatory education despite economic disadvantage (Washington state residents only)
• Demonstrating cultural awareness or unique perspectives or experiences

It is also worth highlighting that recruited athletes enjoy a huge edge. This is because the University of Washington takes great pride in their 22 NCAA Division I sports teams. Overall, 800+ student-athletes are presently attending the university. Of course, other outside-the-classroom endeavors can also enhance your application profile. For advice about how to stand out on the extracurricular front, check out our previous blog entitled How Many Extracurricular Activities Do I Need for College?

Who Actually Gets Into The University of Washington?

Let’s look at the demographics of the current undergraduate student body. Geographically, the Class of 2024 breaks down as follows (all percentages are estimates by the university):

• In-State: 63.6%
• Out-of-State: 20.7%
• International: 15.7

Among non-residents, competition is stiffest among those hailing from states with endless streams of qualified applicants (the entire Northeast & the West Coast). If you hail from the Deep South or a less-populated state like Idaho or South Dakota, your location is more likely to provide a boost to your admissions chances at the University of Washington.

International students currently attending UW-Seattle hail from the following countries:

• China: 60%
• India: 6%
• South Korea: 6%
• Taiwan: 5%
• Indonesia: 3%

Looking at ethnic identity of the most recent freshman class, the breakdown was as follows:

• African American 2.6%
• Asian American 27.3%
• Caucasian 34.4%
• Hispanic/Latino 9.3%
• International 16.0%
• Two or more races 7.8%

Looking at the gender breakdown, the Class of 2023 enrolled far more women than men:

• Men: 46%
• Women: 54%

The University of Washington’s Yield Rate

The University of Washington’s yield rate—the percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted is 29.6%. This figure is significantly lower than other powerhouse state universities like the University of Michigan (46%), UNC-Chapel Hill (43%), and UCLA (41%).

Tips for Applying to the University of Washington

If you plan on joining the almost 44,000 Husky hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

• The University of Washington does not use interviews as part of their evaluation process.
• This school does truly pride itself on admitting a high percentage of students who will be the first in their family to graduate from college.
• The University of Washington does not consider “demonstrated interest” so you will not be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc.
• Make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the main Common App Essay and two required supplemental essays required by the University of Washington. In the 2020-21 cycle, they were as follows:

1) Essay prompt [required]

Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

Maximum length: 650 words

2) Short response [required]

Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the UW.

Maximum length: 300 words

The UW-Seattle admissions staff offers some advice for penning a winning composition. Those recommendations are as follows:

• Content is important, but spelling, grammar and punctuation are also considered.
• We recommend composing in advance, then copying and pasting into the application. Double-spacing, italics and other formatting will be lost, but this will not affect the evaluation of your application.
• We’ve observed most students write a polished formal essay, yet submit a more casual short response. Give every part of the writing responses your best effort, presenting yourself in standard, formal English.
• Proofread, proofread, proofread!

Should I Apply to The University of Washington?

Those with SAT/ACT scores within the mid-50% band for UW-Seattle who are also near the top of their respective high school class are certainly viable candidates to the University of Washington. If you reside in Washington, your road to acceptance will be a tad smoother than if you are an out-of-state or international applicant. You will need to bring higher test scores and, possibly, a special skill or “hook” if you do not hail from the university’s home state or if you wish to enter into a direct-admit engineering/computer science program. Of course, it goes without saying that all teens applying to a school of the University of Washington’s ilk also need to also have a proper mix or “target” and “safety” schools on their college list. More on creating a balanced college list can be