The real 4-year cost of Washington University in St Louis in Missouri
Over the 18 years from 2008 to 2026, published tuition and required fees at Washington University in St Louis went from $37,248 to $72,722, an average of 3.8% a year. The 2026–27 figure is the school's own announced rate.
2026–27 rate announced: $72,722Tuition $71,310 + activity fee $712 + health/wellness fee $700.source
2008–2030: history and projection
| Year | Published | Projected estimate | Estimate range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $37,248 | – | – |
| 2009 | $38,728 | – | – |
| 2010 | $40,369 | – | – |
| 2011 | $41,992 | – | – |
| 2012 | $43,705 | – | – |
| 2013 | $44,841 | – | – |
| 2014 | $46,467 | – | – |
| 2015 | $48,093 | – | – |
| 2016 | $49,770 | – | – |
| 2017 | $51,533 | – | – |
| 2018 | $53,399 | – | – |
| 2019 | $55,292 | – | – |
| 2020 | $56,893 | – | – |
| 2021 | $58,866 | – | – |
| 2022 | $60,590 | – | – |
| 2023 | $62,982 | – | – |
| 2026 | $72,722 | $72,722 | – |
| 2027 | – | $75,508 | $75,112–$75,904 |
| 2028 | – | $78,401 | $77,580–$79,225 |
| 2029 | – | $81,404 | $80,130–$82,692 |
| 2030 | – | $84,523 | $82,763–$86,310 |
If you pay full sticker
Projected tuition + fees, entering fall 2026.
| Year 1 | $72,722 |
| Year 2 | $75,508 |
| Year 3 | $78,401 |
| Year 4 | $81,404 |
| 4-year total | $308,035 |
Two aid scenarios
4-year out-of-pocket total.
- $10,000/yr flat scholarship
- $268,035
- Flat aid doesn't grow, so it covers less each year.
- 50%-of-tuition scholarship
- $157,031
- Percentage aid keeps pace with tuition.
On-campus housing & meals
Room & board (housing plus the standard meal plan), on top of tuition.
- Latest (2023)
- $20,778/ yr
- rising 4.2% / yr
- Projected 4-year add-on
- $100,021
Books & supplies typically add ~$1,200 a year (national median, not included).
Housing here is rising faster than tuition.
Run your own numbers
Enter your actual scholarship offer to see your real 4-year total.
See my 4-year cost at Washington University in St Louis4-year schools with similar prices in Missouri
Closest to Washington University in St Louis by published tuition and fees. Similar sticker prices can still compound very differently.
- Saint Louis University$59,960
- Kansas City Art Institute$43,550
- Rockhurst University$43,420
- Avila University$38,762
- Drury University$35,235
- Westminster College$34,188
- Missouri Baptist University$33,122
- University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis$31,920
Use this data
Published figures for Washington University in St Louis from federal IPEDS data through 2023, free to download or embed with attribution. The embed stays current as the data updates.