Case Western Reserve University Tuition and Fees

By Susan Guillory

(Last Updated – 09/2026)

Total Cost of Attendance

Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Cleveland, Ohio, is one of the country’s leading research universities. Over the years, Case Western students and faculty have worked on such major projects as the polio vaccine, MRI, and insulin.

Case Western tuition and fees for the 2026-27 academic year came to $72,866. This is much higher than the 2025-26 national average of $45,000 for private university tuition and fees.

Financial Aid

Many students use financial aid while attending Case Western. In fact, 88% of CWRU students use one or more forms of financial aid to help with Case Western tuition and other costs. This aid may be in the form of scholarships, grants, or loans, or it may be a combination of all these.

For instance, Pell Grants, federal funding for undergraduates with exceptional financial need, are awarded to 18% of Case Western Reserve University students.

Explore financial aid options: Ohio Student Loans and Scholarships

Generally, financial aid is monetary assistance awarded to students based on personal need or merit. Students who qualify for financial aid can use it to pay for college costs, such as tuition, books, and living expenses.

The federal government is the largest provider of student financial aid. However, aid can also be given by state governments, colleges and universities, private companies, and nonprofits. The different types include:

•  Scholarships: These can be awarded by schools and other organizations based on students’ academic excellence, athletic achievement, community involvement, job experience, field of study, or financial need.

•  Grants: Generally based on financial need, these can come from federal, state, private, and nonprofit organizations.

•  Work-study: This federal program provides qualifying students with part-time employment to earn money for expenses while in school.

•  Federal student loans: These loans are borrowed directly from the U.S. Department of Education. They come with fixed interest rates that are typically lower than private loans.

Colleges, universities, and state agencies use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) to determine financial aid eligibility. The FAFSA can be completed online, but note that state, federal, and school deadlines may differ.

You can find other financial aid opportunities on databases such as:

•  U.S. Education Department . Search for grants from colleges and universities by state.

•  College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS). Browse this global college scholarship application used by select institutions to award financial aid.

•  SoFi Scholarship Finder. Use this online tool to streamline your search for scholarships, grants, and other opportunities, and filter by award type, location, level of study, and more.

Recommended: The Differences Between Grants, Scholarships, and Loans

Private Student Loans

The majority of students at Case Western Reserve use student loans to help pay for the cost of college. Approximately 61% of CWRU undergrads take out federal student loans, and 8% take out private student loans. These private loans average $14,564 per year, per student.

Private loans are funded by private organizations such as banks, online lenders, credit unions, some schools, and state-based or state-affiliated organizations. While federal student loans have interest rates that are regulated by federal law, private lenders follow a different set of regulations, so their qualifications and interest rates can vary widely.

What’s more, private loans have variable or fixed interest rates that may be higher than federal loan interest rates, which are always fixed. Private lenders may (but don’t always) require you to make payments on your loans while you are still in school, compared to federal student loans, which you don’t have to start paying back until after you graduate, leave school, or change your enrollment status to less than half-time.

Private loans don’t have a specific application window and can be applied for on an as-needed basis. However, if you think you may need to take out a private loan, it’s a good idea to submit your FAFSA first to see what federal aid you may qualify for, since federal loans generally have better rates and terms.

If you’ve missed the FAFSA deadline or you’re struggling to pay for school during the year, private loans can potentially help you make your tuition payments. Just keep in mind that you will need enough lead time for your loan to process and for your lender to send money to your school.

Recommended: Guide to Private Student Loans

Projected 4-Year-Degree Price

The cost to attend Case Western University for four years, including tuition and fees, room and board, books, and other expenses, would be $379,776, based on 2026-27 prices. This is higher than the national average cost of four years at a private university, which is $180,000.

This student loan and scholarship information may be valuable as you research schools and costs.

Undergraduate Tuition and Fees

The combined cost of tuition and fees plus books and supplies for students at Case Western in 2026-27 was $73,306. Both in-state and out-of-state students pay the same costs to attend the university.

Graduate Tuition and Fees

Considering Case Western Reserve University for grad school? In 2026-27, the cost for Case Western tuition and fees for graduate school for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 was $61,990.50. When you factor in Summer 2027, the total figure is significantly higher than the national average for graduate school at private institutions, which is $21,110 per year. Note that some of CWRU’s graduate fees are waived for online-only programs, which could save you thousands on the total cost.

There are graduate loans available to help with these costs.

Cost per Credit Hour

Students who register for fewer than 12 credit hours are considered part-time. To attend CWRU on a part-time basis in 2026-27, the cost per credit hour was $2,976, and tuition is charged on the number of semester hours a student takes. Summer classes in 2026 were $1,431 per credit hour for undergrads.

Certificates

Certificate programs at CWRU are offered through the School of Graduate Studies. These include certificates in Applied Data Science, Public Health, Experimental Biotechnology, Health Informatics, and more. Some certificates are part of other degree programs, while others are taken on their own.

Students who register for certificate programs need to complete all the coursework and maintain a 3.0 GPA in order to be awarded a certificate. All certificates offered at Case Western require a minimum of 15 credit hours.

Campus Housing Expenses

All first- and second-year students are required to live on the Case Western campus. There are 12 first-year buildings, 8 second-year buildings, 9 upper-class buildings, and 18 Greek Life Houses on campus.

For upper-class students who choose to live off campus, there are affordable housing options within walking distance of campus.

Case Western Reserve University Acceptance Rate

If you’re thinking about applying to the university, knowing the Case Western acceptance rate can be extremely helpful.

For 2024-25, the Case Western acceptance rate was 37%. That means that in the fall of 2024, 13,550 students were accepted out of the 37,082 who applied. This makes the CWRU acceptance rate moderately selective.

Admission Requirements

Here’s what CWRU requires for first-time students when they apply to the school — and also what’s recommended.

Required:

•  Four years of high school English

•  Three years of high school math

•  Three years of high school science (two must be in laboratory science)

•  Three years of high school social studies

•  Two years of high school foreign language classes

•  Application essay

•  Arts supplement for music and music education majors and those pursuing an Arts Achievement Scholarship in music or art studio

Optional:

•  One additional year of math and laboratory science for engineering and sciences majors

•  One additional year of social studies and foreign language for liberal arts majors

The CWRU deadline for Early Action and Early Decision I is November 1. The Pre-Professional Scholars Program deadline is December 1. The deadline for Early Decision II and Regular Decision is January 15.

SAT and ACT Scores

While standardized test scores aren’t required at CWRU, it’s useful to know how other students scored in prior years. These are the scores of students at the 25th and 75th percentiles who submitted scores in the fall of 2024.

Popular Majors at Case Western Reserve University

CWRU offers more than 100 undergraduate programs, giving students lots of choices. Here are 10 of the most popular majors at the university.

1. Computer Science

Computer science majors can choose one of six in-depth areas of study:

•  Algorithms and theory

•  Artificial intelligence

•  Bioinformatics

•  Computer systems, networks, and security

•  Databases and data mining

•  Software engineering

Undergraduate degrees in 2025-26: 191

2. Mechanical Engineering

If the idea of building and testing a variety of machines and mechanical systems appeals to you, this might be a program to consider. Students have the option to participate in research or study abroad.

Undergraduate degrees in 2025-26: 156

3. Nursing

Nursing students get the combined benefit of learning important theories in the classroom plus hands-on practice and leadership development in real-world health care settings.

Undergraduate degrees in 2025-26: 135

4. Biomedical Engineering

Students in this program learn how to solve real-world problems of human health through lectures, creative design, undergraduate research, entrepreneurial activities, and hands-on experiences on campus and with industrial partners.

Undergraduate degrees in 2025-26: 126

5. Biology

Case Western offers both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in biology. Each shares a common set of core courses in biology, mathematics, chemistry, and physics. From there, students take classes and labs related to their chosen specialty.

Undergraduate degrees in 2025-26: 107

6. Finance

The university’s finance program aims to teach students to contribute to:

•  Corporate finance

•  Financial modeling

•  Valuation

•  Derivatives applications

•  Risk management

•  Fintech

•  Financial analytics

There are also opportunities to network with financial professionals and join finance and investment clubs.

Undergraduate degrees in 2025-26: 101

7. Psychology

Psychology students take courses such as:

•  Quantitative Methods in Psychology

•  Psychology of Learning

•  Social Psychology

•  Adult Development and Aging

•  Psychotherapy and Personality Change

Undergraduate degrees in 2025-26: 93

8. Neuroscience

CWRU’s neuroscience program teaches students about the nervous system and its effects on cognition, emotions, and behavior. Students also take two semesters of independent research to further their understanding of this field.

Undergraduate degrees in 2025-26: 91

9. Economics

In this program, students learn how to analyze problems of resource allocation and decision-making and how they influence economies. Because there is such a broad range of interests among economics majors, the university’s faculty helps students develop a personalized study plan.

Undergraduate degrees in 2025-26: 66

10. Aerospace Engineering

Students can launch their careers in aerospace engineering by learning to solve complex engineering problems and apply engineering design to real-world situations. The program also offers co-op opportunities, which involve paid full-time employment in the field over seven months.

Undergraduate degrees in 2025-26: 66

Graduation Rate

While most students graduate from Case Western Reserve University in four years, others take additional years to earn their degrees from the school. These are the graduation rates at CWRU for students who started in the fall of 2019.

•  Four years: 75%

•  Six years: 87%

Post-Graduation Median Earnings

After graduating, Case Western Reserve University alumni earn a median of $94,000 per year four years after graduating. That’s higher than the national annual median earnings of $91,936 for college graduates aged 25 and over in Q2 2026.