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Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH · City · 6,437 students
Website Common App Forbes ranking Scorecard
Application deadlines: Check the admissions site
$41,190
Average net priceYour net price
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
87%
Graduation rate
70% typical
$87,989
Earnings 10 years on
$63,395 typical
37%
Acceptance rate
73% typical · not scored
Accredited by Higher Learning Commission
About

Case Western Reserve University is a top-tier research institution widely renowned for its powerhouse programs in biomedical engineering, nursing, pre-medicine, and traditional engineering. Located in Cleveland’s cultural hub of University Circle, the campus fosters a collaborative, intellectually curious culture anchored by massive hands-on resources like the seven-story Sears think[box] makerspace. Undergraduates benefit immensely from direct research and clinical integration with neighboring world-class institutions, including the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals. Setting the university apart is its flexible "single-door" admission policy, which allows students to freely explore, double major, or cross disciplines across any undergraduate school without jumping through internal application hurdles.

Wikipedia:Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is a private research university in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It was federated in 1967 by a merger between Western Reserve University, founded in 1826 by the Presbyterian Church, and the Case Institute of Technology, founded in 1880. In 2024, the university enrolled 12,475 students from all 50 U.S. states and 106 countries, and employed more than 1,182 full-time faculty members.

Location
Cleveland, OH, 44106 · City campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
CLE · Cleveland
14 mi away
Open in Google Maps
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
These figures are federal data and may be out of date.
YoursEveryone
Tuition & fees$66,608
Housing & food (on campus)$18,762
Books & supplies$1,200
Cost of attendance$85,851
Average net price$41,190
Same price for all students
Tuition & fees$66,608
Housing & food (on campus)$18,762
Books & supplies$1,200
Cost of attendance$85,851
Average net price$41,190
Net price by family income
$0–30k
$19,025
$30–48k
$18,506
$48–75k
$20,849
$75–110k
$26,159
$110k+
$53,061
Grants from the school
88% of first-years get a grant from the school, averaging $40,221
Source: College Navigator (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS)
Merit aid
Awarded without financial need. Students with financial need can get merit awards too; they're counted as need-based aid.
Average award$32,560
Share of first-years who get one40%
Source: Case Western Reserve University's Common Data Set — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
87%
Within 4 yrs
73%
Back for yr 2
92%
Transferred
0%
Pell students: 83.1% · others: 87.7% 
8 yrs after starting
86% graduated · 9% transferred · 5% left or unknown · none still enrolled
Earnings
6 yrs after entry$75,613
10 yrs after entry$87,989
Debt
Median at graduation$24,000
Monthly payment$254
Middle 50% owe$12.6k–$29.9k
90th percentile$34,500
Green marks a figure above the typical Doctoral University: 70% graduate within 6 yrs, $63,395 earned 10 yrs after entry.
Admissions
Getting in
Admit rate
37%
Test policy
Test optional
SAT average
1513
R 700–760 · M 730–780
ACT midpoint
34
Comp 32–34 · E 33–35 · M 31–35
SAT middle 50%: 1430–1540
40080012001600
Admitted students
Admit rate: men 36.3% · women 36.8% 
Yield: 11.9% of admitted students enroll 

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Essay prompts
How much essays count at Case Western Reserve University: Important (one of four levels: very important · important · considered · not considered)
Source: Case Western Reserve University's Common Data Set — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures (PDF).

If Case Western Reserve University asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body
Gender
Men 52%Women 48%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
9 : 1
Pell grant
18%
First-gen
11%
Family income
$94,000
Independent
3%
Age at entry
19.0
Part-time
1%
Where first-years come from
In state (OH)
13.3%
Out of state
74.9%
International
7.0%

Most out-of-state first-years from: CA 167 · NY 132 · NJ 129 · IL 116 · PA 92

Race & ethnicity
White
34%
Hispanic
12%
Black
6%
Asian
30%
Two or more
5%
Non-resident
11%
Unknown
1%
Varsity sports
NCAA Division III with football
  • Baseball
    Men's
  • Basketball
    Men's · Women's
  • Cross Country
    Men's · Women's
  • Football
    Men's
  • Soccer
    Men's · Women's
  • Softball
    Women's
  • Swimming and Diving (combined)
    Men's · Women's
  • Tennis
    Men's · Women's
  • Track and Field (Indoor)
    Men's · Women's
  • Track and Field (Outdoor)
    Men's · Women's
  • Volleyball
    Women's
  • Wrestling
    Men's
Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs
After 6 yrs
$75,613
After 10 yrs
$87,989
Computer Science149
Biology, General114
Mechanical Engineering106
Psychology, General105
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing102
Biomedical/Medical Engineering95
Economics85
Finance and Financial Management Services57
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology56
Chemical Engineering50
Cognitive Science48
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering45
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering41
Accounting and Related Services39
Business Administration, Management and Operations34
Neurobiology and Neurosciences33
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$2.4B
Full-time faculty
75%
Faculty salary
$13,338/mo
Teaching spend
$35,710
per student
Federal loans
47%
Classification
Carnegie type
Doctoral University
Research activity
R1 — very high research
$643M research spending · 213 research doctorates a year
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, more selective admissions

Wondering if Case Western Reserve University is the right fit for you?

omhu builds a personalized college list — reach, match, and safety schools — tailored to your profile, grades, and goals. Get financial aid estimates, scholarship guidance, and deep dives on every school.

Personalized reach / match / safety list
Financial aid & net cost estimates
Deep dives on any school
Scholarship search