WSU has secured state funding for buildings or major renovations on all five physical campuses; new degrees in cybersecurity, social work, and public health; and investment in research supporting soil health and clean energy. WSU also secured $19 million in new annual state appropriations to fund the state’s second public medical school, admitting classes of 80 Washingtonians each year.
WSU led Washington’s agriculture stakeholders to secure $129.5 million in federal funding to construct a new U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service facility and $8 million in state funding to tear down Johnson Hall on the WSU Pullman Campus.The success of this effort and the relationships formed also resulted in support for funding agricultural research priorities across the state of Washington.
Leading in Agricultural Research
WSU is the research and development arm of the second most diverse agricultural economy in the country, helping Washington produce more than 300 different agricultural commodities. The university is currently ranked No. 2 in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) research expenditures by the National Science Foundation (FY22). In fiscal year, 2024, WSU was awarded $89 million dollars from the USDA.
WSU’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS) developed the Cosmic Crisp apple, which has become the top licensing revenue generator for the university. The revenue supports ongoing research that led to the discovery of the apple variety in the first place.
Improving Health Outcomes and Quality of Life
Since the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine was established in 2015, the College has developed three residency programs across the state, ensuring that there is a home-grown pipeline of physicians committed to ensuring care for our state’s rural and underserved communities and beyond.
WSU Spokane, in partnership with the Steve Gleason Institute for Neuroscience, established an interdisciplinary institute in 2019 to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life for people with neurodevelopmental disabilities. The institute opened an Adaptive Technology Center in 2021 to showcase innovative technologies for enhanced independent living.
Global Collaborations
WSU recently led a 5-year, $30 million joint research project with India to advance power grid development. This initiative, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, aims to enhance electricity delivery reliability, resilience, and security in both countries.
WSU also enjoys longstanding partnerships with academic, governmental, and non-governmental institutions in East Africa. Under a current U.S. National Institutes of Health grant, WSU and the University of Nairobi are offering a doctorate program for medical and veterinary professionals to recognize and respond to newly emerging viruses.
Along with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, WSU is co-leading the ASCENT Center of Excellence research collaborative to further the use of sustainable aviation fuels. Leveraging pillars of strength in agriculture and clean energy, WSU has become a global authority on curbing carbon emissions using clean-burning fuels.
Access and Affordability
WSU has made significant progress on multiple affordability metrics since 2015. The percentage of resident undergraduate students with college loans has fallen from 53.2% to 34.5%. The percentage of undergraduate students graduating without debt has increased from 35.6% to 51% while the average indebtedness of students graduating with debt has fallen.
For academic year 2023, 34% of resident undergraduates paid no tuition at WSU and only 35% paid full tuition.