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Is Willamette University worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Willamette, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Stretch
Willamette sits in the stretch band for a typical family. The long-run earnings picture at $56,911 helps, but median debt of $21,500 plus yearly net price of $25,121 creates a tighter path. For context, Willamette's net price runs about 21% above the typical 4-year, private nonprofit school. It can work, but the financing plan has to be deliberate.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 1237 similar 4-year, private nonprofit schools
This school
$27,716
/yrAverage school like this
$22,837
/yrThis weighs on your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $4,879 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $20,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price is manageable, but it makes the aid offer matter a lot.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$25,121
Median earnings 10 years out
$56,911
Median debt at graduation
$21,500
Graduation rate
72%
At Willamette, a typical graduate carries about $21,500 in student debt and earns roughly $56,911 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $244 per month, or 5% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
What this means for your family
Willamette is a private nonprofit four year school in Salem, OR. Private pricing can swing more dramatically based on aid, so your personalized score matters more here than the national average view alone.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Private nonprofit 4-year
Warner Pacific
Portland, OR
Worth-It Score: 56/100
Median net price: $25,629
Private nonprofit 4-year
Linfield
McMinnville, OR
Worth-It Score: 72/100
Median net price: $26,536
Private nonprofit 4-year
Corban
Salem, OR
Worth-It Score: 44/100
Median net price: $28,035
Private nonprofit 4-year
University of Portland
Portland, OR
Worth-It Score: 79/100
Median net price: $28,210
Private nonprofit 4-year
New Hope Christian College-Eugene
Eugene, OR
Worth-It Score: 20/100
Median net price: $21,600
Common questions about Willamette
The median net price at Willamette is $25,121 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at private colleges options in Oregon? See the most affordable private colleges in Oregon →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →