Washington & Jefferson College

Admission to Washington and Jefferson College is relatively accessible, while its overall ranking has remained stable over recent years. In the 2027 U.S. News National Liberal Arts Colleges ranking, the institution ranked 91st, closely matching its position of 92nd in 2020. Admission rates have expanded substantially over the past decade. In 2025, the college posted an overall admit rate of 80.6%, which is higher than 79% of peer schools in its comparison group of similar private liberal arts colleges. Meanwhile, the draw among accepted applicants remains relatively limited. The college recorded a yield rate of 12.6% in 2025, higher than 31% of peer institutions. Because a small share of admitted applicants ultimately enroll, qualified candidates face favorable odds of admission. Families evaluating the college can approach the admissions process with confidence, as an acceptance is attainable for students who align with the institution's academic standards.

Washington and Jefferson College adopts an admissions test policy where test scores are not considered, meaning the college is test-blind and scores are not used in evaluation even if submitted. Standardized testing history shows a substantial decline in score reporting among incoming cohorts over time. In 2007, 84 percent of enrolled undergraduates submitted SAT scores, whereas by 2023, that proportion had dropped to 42 percent. ACT submissions exhibited a similar downward trend over the same period, declining from 31 percent of students reporting scores in 2007 to 14 percent in 2023. Because standardized tests are not part of the review process, admissions assessments center on high school transcripts, academic rigor, and non-testing credentials. Prospective students preparing an application should focus on maintaining solid secondary school course marks and completing required graduation coursework, as testing metrics have no role in institutional admissions determinations.

Graduating students at Washington and Jefferson College are concentrated in business and professional tracks rather than traditional liberal arts humanities. Among the 251 bachelor's degrees conferred in 2025, the top three programs accounted for 41.4% of all graduates, demonstrating notable concentration. Business/Commerce, General was the single largest major, producing 40 graduates, followed closely by Accounting and General Psychology. None of the college's programs hold published national major rankings, meaning enrollment scale rather than national program ranks drives student choice. Professional disciplines also deliver the strongest financial returns according to 2023 earnings data, where Accounting and Related Services graduates led all fields with median earnings of $60,696 one year after graduation, followed by Economics. For applicants, these patterns indicate that while the college operates as a liberal arts institution, its academic pipeline and post-graduation earnings are centered in commerce and practical administrative disciplines.

Washington and Jefferson College enrolls a predominantly undergraduate, domestic student body, with total enrollment standing at 1,309 students in 2025. White students constitute more than three-quarters of the student population, while graduate enrollment is nearly nonexistent. Representation of overseas and Asian students remains very limited across all classes. In the 2025 entering undergraduate cohort, international students numbered 8, or 2% of first-year students. Asian students accounted for 3 individuals, representing 0.7% of entering freshmen. Continuing upperclass cohorts display similarly low counts, where Asian and international students each make up less than two percent of enrollment. For prospective applicants evaluating the campus social and learning environment, the student body is heavily domestic and traditional, with small numbers of international and Asian peers in classroom and residential settings.

The student body at Washington and Jefferson College is overwhelmingly composed of traditional college-age students. Among 1,162 undergraduates in 2025, students aged 18 to 19 accounted for 48.4% of enrollment, while those aged 20 to 21 represented 43.7%. Only a small fraction of undergraduates are 22 or older, and the college enrolls virtually no graduate students, with just 3 recorded in 2025. This age concentration means campus life revolves almost entirely around traditional four-year undergraduate routines, shared residential activities, and peer cohorts progressing directly from high school into higher education.

International students represent a small and declining share of the campus community at Washington and Jefferson College. In 2025, international undergraduates made up 1.8% of the undergraduate student body, a proportion higher than 17% of peer schools in its comparison group of similar private liberal arts colleges. This reflects a notable contraction over the past decade. At the graduate level, the college reported 0% international enrollment in 2025. This limited footprint carries through to completion figures. In 2025, international students accounted for 1.2% of all bachelor's degree recipients, and the institution awarded no graduate degrees. Among the largest undergraduate programs, international degree recipients were present in Business/Commerce, General and Accounting, whereas majors such as Psychology, General and Biology/Biological Sciences, General had none. For prospective overseas applicants, these metrics show that international peers form a very small component of the student body, with academic representation spread thinly across a few fields of study.

Families exploring Washington and Jefferson College can also consider several higher education institutions situated nearby in western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio. Located approximately 24 kilometers away in Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University is ranked 14th among National Universities in the 2027 rankings, while the University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus sits 24.2 kilometers away, ranking 59th. Also in Pittsburgh, Duquesne University is located 22.5 kilometers away and holds the 156th spot among National Universities. For students specifically seeking a similar liberal arts environment, The College of Wooster is located 99.4 kilometers to the west in Ohio and shares the 91st rank among National Liberal Arts Colleges.

Campus safety reports for Washington and Jefferson College indicate that student misconduct violations make up the vast majority of recorded safety incidents. In 2025, the college's crime rate per 1,000 students was 15.4, reflecting a decrease from previous years. Across the three-year period from 2023 to 2025, incident reports were dominated by campus disciplinary actions rather than violent crimes. Alcohol disciplinary referrals were the most frequent category, totaling 101 incidents between 2023 and 2025, followed by 25 drug disciplinary referrals. Serious offenses occurred in far smaller numbers over the same timeframe, including single-digit counts of domestic violence, rape, and weapons referrals. For incoming students and families, these records demonstrate that campus safety concerns primarily involve institutional policy enforcement regarding alcohol and substance use rather than widespread criminal activity.