Small Town, Big Results
Surrounded by golden, rolling hills and basalt outcroppings, the EWU campus is an ideal place for hands-on learning. Our immersive student-faculty community is designed to keep you focused and supported.
Explore Eastern
Visit EWU
Our 300-acre campus is gorgeous. Come see why 88% of visiting students choose Eastern.
Schedule a TourUniversity Leadership
Expanding opportunities for personal transformation through excellence in learning.
Meet the TeamGeneral Facts
Founded: April 3, 1882
Campus: Cheney, Washington
Campus Acreage: 300
Academic Calendar: Quarters
Mascot: Swoop the Eagle
School Colors: Red and White
Student Facts
Enrollment: 10,915 (fall 2022)
Diversity: 32%
Average GPA: 3.32
First-Generation College Students 32%
Tuition: $2,431/quarter
Financial Aid Distributed: $116.5 million
Alumni Facts
Alumni population: 123,000+
Washington state: 87,000+
Spokane County: 44,000+
Alumni who have jobs related to their major: 75%
Campus Events
Campus Safety
EWU is one of the safest public university campuses in Washington, and one of the top 100 safest campuses in the United States. The biggest contributor to such a safe campus is the shared commitment of faculty, staff and students.
Campus Police
We have our own police force on campus. The campus police officers are a friendly team that work closely with the local police and fire departments. Be sure to say "Hi" if you see them on your campus tour.
EWU Police
Clery Reports
The “Clery” report provides a transparent overview of crime statistics for the prior three years, protocols for warning the campus community of an emergency or threat rights and options for reporting crimes.
View Reports
Eagle Safe
An app that ensures the safety and wellbeing of students on the EWU campus via tracking and alert systems.
Sign UpAbout Safety at EWU
Safety is a community effort so it is important we work closely with the campus police, parents and faculty to create the best campus environment we can provide. We have our own police team on campus that are friendly and approachable. We encourage students and families to sign up for campus alert texts to stay informed.
History
In 1882, the Benjamin P. Cheney Academy opened its doors to more than 200 enrolling students. A generous contribution of $10,000 from Benjamin P. Cheney, a wealthy transportation industrialist, had at last fulfilled the dreams of Cheney citizens who had long desired an institute for higher learning in their community.
The academy became the State Normal School at Cheney in 1889, the same year in which Washington was given its statehood. The school was proudly designated as an institution “for the purpose of instruction of persons, both male and female, in the art of teaching the various branches that pertain to a good common school.”
By the time it became Eastern Washington College of Education in 1937, Eastern was already a fully accredited four-year, degree-granting institution, offering majors in numerous subjects.
The campus grew rapidly in size and program offerings in the decades following World War II. In 1961, the name was again changed, this time to Eastern Washington State College. It was increasingly evident that the region needed professionals in many fields; in response, Eastern added a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Finally, in 1977, the state Legislature changed the school’s name to Eastern Washington University.