Walla Walla Colleges Overview

Walla Walla, Washington, and the surrounding area, offer a diverse range of higher education opportunities. This article provides an overview of the colleges serving the Walla Walla region, with a particular focus on Walla Walla University, its history, academic programs, campus life, and other institutions in the area.

Walla Walla University

Walla Walla University (WWU) is a private Seventh-day Adventist institution of higher education founded in 1892. The university has five campuses located throughout the Pacific Northwest. Walla Walla University is a small, 4-year university, offering associate, bachelor's, master's, certificate, and doctoral degrees. WWU cultivates environments of excellence, generosity, beauty, and Christian faith. Exceptional education at WWU begins with the integration of faith and learning in small classes offering personalized attention from dedicated professors. The university seeks to prepare students for successful lives and careers through rigorous internships, global study tours and partnerships, and hands-on learning in rigorous academic settings. WWU is fully accredited and offers more than 100 areas of study in professional and technical programs and the liberal arts. The small campus setting enriches student learning through regular interaction across disciplines.

History

In 1887, W.W. Prescott, the first education secretary of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, recognized the need for a more organized approach to Adventist education. He encouraged the consolidation of smaller Adventist schools into larger, regional institutions. In 1890, Prescott visited the Pacific Northwest and proposed a merger of the three Adventist schools in Coquille, Portland, and Milton, Oregon. After overcoming local opposition, the schools agreed to merge. A committee selected a location for the new school on forty acres of land located just west of Walla Walla, Washington, that were donated for the school.

The new school opened on December 7, 1892, named Walla Walla College, and Prescott was named the first president. However, Prescott was also president of two other institutions at the time, so Edward A. Sutherland took over as president. On the first day, Walla Walla College offered all education from elementary up to the first two years of college; total enrollment was 101, with six teachers. All classes were run out of the four-storey tall administration building, deliberately built tall so that it could be seen from the city of Walla Walla.

Sutherland focused on following the counsels of Adventist prophetess Ellen G. White as closely as possible, and under his direction the school became the first to offer an exclusively vegetarian diet. Likewise, he emphasized manual labour for the students. Initially school finances were shaky, but the manual labour of the students eventually provided sufficient income to stabilize the school's finances. In 1895, the school became the first Adventist institution to allow a brass ensemble to play during church services. In 1899, the first college bakery opened. In 1901, Walla Walla College was incorporated.

In 1905, Marion E. Cady became the school's eighth president, and under his leadership the school expanded its college course offerings to a full four-year college program; by 1909, the college celebrated its first baccalaureate graduate. Cady also stabilized the school's finances, which resulted in the college paying off its debt in 1909. However, in 1910 the school suffered the first of many fires, when the power plant burned down.

In 1911, Ernest Kellogg took over as president, and under his leadership the academic program of the college was further strengthened; elementary and high school classes were moved to separate buildings, and the school received accreditation from the University of Washington in 1913 for its high school; in that same year, enrollment reached 400 students. Kellogg designed the school's seal, and under Kellogg, the first yearbook was published, the first student newspaper was published, the student association was founded, and the alumni association was created. In 1919, a fire destroyed the top floor of the school's administration building.

In the 1920s, Walla Walla College pursued accreditation for its college program, receiving accreditation for the first two years of its college program and also winning accreditation for its teacher training program. However, the college met opposition from the church over its pursuit of accreditation, and suspended its application. During this time period, OPS and AGA (dorm clubs) were founded, the Johnson Music Conservatory was built, and a fire burned down the women's dorm.

In the 1930s, Walla Walla College again pursued accreditation, and by 1935 it received accreditation for its full college program; in this same year, the high school separated from the college and became Walla Walla Valley Academy, leaving the school strictly a college. By this time, Walla Walla College was the largest Seventh-day Adventist college in the world. Walla Walla went through further conflicts with Adventist authorities, which reached an apex in 1938, when several theology professors were fired because they were considered heterodox. In 1939, the Columbia Auditorium opened, a popular performing arts venue.

In the 1940s, a number of important developments helped found some of Walla Walla's most popular programs. An airfield was built in 1942 which led to the start of Walla Walla's aviation program. In 1944, the present library building was completed, and in 1947 the present boys dorm was built. In 1945, the village that had grown up to support the college was incorporated as the city of College Place, Washington. In 1947, the university opened up the first school of engineering in the Seventh-day Adventist church, and the first physical education program started around the same time. Also in 1947, the school opened its first satellite campus, when it began its school of nursing at the Portland Sanitarium, today Adventist Health Portland. In 1948, the college's first master's program was offered in Biology, and a master's degree in Education began two years later. A second satellite campus was opened in 1954 at Rosario Beach in Anacortes, Washington, for the marine biology program.

Read also: Comparing Walla Walla Schools

Growth slowed in the 1960s. A church was built in 1962, the present-day University Church. The college radio station, KGTS, began broadcasting in 1963, as the first FM-radio station in the Walla Walla Valley. Several buildings were built towards the end of the decade. The college also began to liberalize its rules, allowing its female students more freedom in how they dressed, and also hired its first full-time black professor.

In the 1970s, the college ran into financial difficulties; a number of college industries were closed, sold, or privatized. A fire damaged the women's dorm, and in 1978 a fire destroyed the Columbia Auditorium. Enrollment reached 2,000 by the middle of the decade. In the 1980s, WWC established an endowment fund in 1987. In 2007, the school was renamed Walla Walla University.

Campus Life

The residential campus environment at WWU fosters a tight-knit, socially-engaged, active community. During the week, faculty, staff, and students pursue curiosities together and on the weekends rest, worship, and explore together. At the core of the WWU experience is the opportunity to discover and nurture a relationship with Jesus Christ in classes and through personal devotions and group worship experiences, volunteer ministries, and local and global service.

The headquarters of WWU is located on an 83-acre campus in the Walla Walla Valley in Southeastern Washington state where cultural arts, vibrant dining, and recreational opportunities abound. WWU has generous scholarships for transfer students. As a WWU student, you'll engage in a deep study of scripture, find meaningful worship experiences, and discover local and global service opportunities. You will enjoy campus rhythms nurtured by Adventist lifestyleâmind, body, and spirit.

Academics and Accreditation

Walla Walla University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, and also by the Adventist Accrediting Association. Some of WWU's schools and departments are also accredited by agencies specific to their field. WWU offers pre-professional programs, Associate degrees, Bachelor's degrees, and Master's degrees. Walla Walla University's Department of Biological Sciences is one of its most popular programs. It operates the Rosario Beach Marine Campus.

Read also: Affording WWU

The university seeks to prepare students for successful lives and careers through rigorous internships, global study tours and partnerships, and hands-on learning in rigorous academic settings. WWU is fully accredited and offers more than 100 areas of study in professional and technical programs and the liberal arts. The small campus setting enriches student learning through regular interaction across disciplines.

Campus Locations

Walla Walla University has five campuses:

College Place Campus: The central campus, located outside of Walla Walla, Washington, was initially 40 acres before being expanded to the present-day 83 acres, in addition to 592 total acres in the local area. Nearly the entire undergraduate program of Walla Walla University is located on this campus, and the graduate program in education is also located on this campus. The oldest building on campus is Village Hall, built in 1920 as the university church.
Portland Campus: The School of Nursing operates a campus in Portland, Oregon adjacent to Adventist Health Portland, where third and fourth-year nursing students complete their practicum.
Rosario Beach Marine Campus: The department of Biology operates a 40-acre campus on Rosario Beach, next to Anacortes, Washington. The campus operates during the summer, offering courses in biology and marine biology. The campus also supports courses in scuba diving.
Missoula Campus: The school of social work and sociology operates a campus in Montana, at Missoula, in support of its graduate program in social work.
Billings Campus: The school of social work and sociology also operates a campus in Montana, at Billings, in support of its graduate program in social work.

Student Life

The Associated Students of Walla Walla University (ASWWU) was founded in 1914 as the Collegiate Association. They have published the school yearbook, Mountain Ash, beginning in 1915 as the Western Collegian, and since 1917 under its current title. They have published the school newspaper, The Collegian, published under that title since 1916.

The Walla Walla athletic teams are called the Wolves. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) since the 2015â16 academic year. The modern Walla Walla University Student Missions program began in 1960 when they sent out their first student missionaries overseas. Today, Walla Walla University sends out between 50 and 90 student missionaries (SMs) each year, to locations around the world.

Key Facts and Figures (as of Fall 2024)

Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,298
Setting: Rural
Campus Size: 83 acres
Student-Faculty Ratio: 14:1
Academic Calendar: Quarter-based
Admissions Policy: Test-blind
Tuition and Fees: \$35,757
Financial Aid: 59% of first-year students receive need-based financial aid
Average Net Price (Federal Loan Recipients): \$23,376
Four-Year Graduation Rate: 32%
Six Years After Graduation (Median Salary): \$52,840

Rankings

In the 2026 edition of Best Colleges, Walla Walla University is ranked No. #46 in Regional Universities West. It's also ranked No. #37 in Best Value Schools.

Other Colleges and Universities Near Walla Walla

Several other institutions of higher education serve the Walla Walla region, offering a variety of programs and educational experiences.

Whitman College

Whitman College is a private, liberal arts college located in Walla Walla, Washington. In 2023, 387 bachelor's degrees were completed. The college does not offer associate, master's, or doctoral degrees.

Eastern Oregon University

Eastern Oregon University is a four-year public college located near Walla Walla, Washington. In 2023, 593 bachelor's degrees and 127 master's degrees were completed. The university does not offer associate or doctoral degrees.

University of Idaho

The University of Idaho is a four-year public college located near Walla Walla, Washington. In 2023, 1,645 bachelor's degrees, 573 master's degrees, and 204 doctoral degrees were earned. The university does not offer associate degrees.

Washington State University

Washington State University is a four-year public college located near Walla Walla, Washington. In 2023, 5,788 bachelor's degrees, 1,070 master's degrees, and 617 doctoral degrees were earned. The university does not offer associate degrees.

Lewis-Clark State College

Lewis-Clark State College is a four-year public college located near Walla Walla, Washington. In 2023, 554 bachelor's degrees and 314 associate degrees were completed. The college does not offer master's or doctoral degrees.

Franklin University

Franklin University is a top choice for transfer students, online learners and adults who need to balance school with busy lives. In 2023, 1,429 bachelor's degrees, 88 associate degrees, 616 master's degrees, and 38 doctoral degrees were earned.

Cost of Education

The average cost of tuition at nonprofit schools near Walla Walla, Washington, is \$34,699.

Job Market Outlook

In 2024, there were approximately 355,646 jobs in the Walla Walla, Washington area. From 2023-2024, job growth in Walla Walla was below the national average, at 1%. There were 47,842 job openings in the area.

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