St. Louis Missouri's Webster University is one of the more unique institutions of higher learning in the nation. Not only do their graduate students outnumber their undergraduates by nearly 2 to 1, but they also support a very wide range of students. Where most universities lean more to the liberal arts or the hard sciences, Webster does both very well. For instance, Webster supports a large number of BFA programs, primarily in the theater arts, but they also have a cutting-edge cyber security program. Students can pursue business, mathematics, education, economics, and criminal justice, among many other choices.
With such a strong emphasis on the arts and theater, Webster's campus life is certainly interesting. The campus is host to a wide range of organizations that offer personal and academic enrichment. For instance, there's the Chess Club, the Literature Club, and the Philosophy Coalition. For those interested in eSports, Webster has a video game community dedicated to fighting games. Others may be more interested in joining a sports team such as baseball, volleyball, tennis, or track. As an interesting aside, Webster made the Baseball Hall of Fame for having the first woman on a varsity baseball team.
| School Type | Private not-for-profit |
|---|---|
| Campus Setting | Suburb: Large |
| Campus Housing | Yes |
| Student Faculty Ratio | 12:1 |
| Graduation Rate | 58% |
| Year Founded | 1915 |
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| Admissions | |
|---|---|
| Application Fee | $35 |
| High School GPA | Required |
| High School Rank | Recommended |
| High School Transcripts | Required |
| College Prep Courses | Recommended |
| Recommendations | Required |
| SAT/ACT | Required |
| TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) | Required |
| Application Deadline | August 1 |
| Common Application Accepted | Yes |
Webster is a private institution, yet their tuition costs are highly competitive with public schools. When one factors in books, supplies, tuition, and other fees, Webster costs just under $30,000 per year. To this price, students can add $17,000 for on-campus room, board, and other expenses. Those students who wish to live in St. Louis will perhaps pay a bit more, depending on what sort of deal they can arrange. These numbers tend to add up, but they can be offset by financial aid.
Students at Webster receive healthy aid packages in the form of grants, scholarships, and student loans. In fact, 96% of all full-time first-year students receive grant or scholarship aid that averages $20,000 per student. On top of that, 60% of those first-year students apply for federal or private student loans with each receiving an average of $6,300. When all the aid packages are accounted for and the figures are adjusted for income brackets, Webster students face a net price somewhere between $18,000 and $28,000.
| Average net price | 2018-2019 |
|---|---|
| Net Price | $23,265 |
| Average Total Aid | $20,162 |
| Students Receiving Financial Aid | 96% |
| Room & Board | $11,120 |
