A community of faith and discovery


Walla Walla University is a Seventh-day Adventist institution of higher education founded in 1892. On its four campuses throughout the Pacific Northwest, 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.

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. The university also operates four satellite campuses, including a School of Nursing in Portland, Oregon, a marine biology station near Anacortes, Washington, and School of Social Work and Sociology campuses in Missoula and Billings, Montana.

Core themes

Walla Walla University is a community of faith and discovery committed to:

  • Excellence in thought.
  • Generosity in service.
  • Beauty in expression.
  • Faith in God.

Read about our mission, vision, and philosophy.


1,419

undergraduate students
(2020–21)

182

graduate students

47

states represented


Excellence in thought

Rigorous academic programs at Walla Walla University advance excellence in thought in a supportive atmosphere. Learning is expanded to the world outside the classroom through field education, design competitions, labs, research, art shows, student teaching, study tours, and studio work. Students of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics gain context and balance in an environment rich with the liberal arts, and students of the humanities and social sciences put learning into practice through interaction with technical programs.


Generosity in service

Compassion for others translates beyond an expressed service ethic into in-person initiatives to meet needs in local and global communities. Service is integrated in classroom experiences and student life programs as faculty, staff, and students champion and engage in projects to connect with and serve fellow citizens of the world.


Beauty in expression

Through seasonal music programs, a campus art gallery that showcases artistic talent, and notable speakers who visit campus as part of the CommUnity program and academic colloquia series, the university supports and celebrates expressions of beauty. This value of the campus community is also expressed through students who engage in physical activities through the athletics and intramural programs and in leadership roles through organizations, such as the student association (ASWWU) and campus clubs.


Faith in God

At the core of the collegiate experience at Walla Walla University is abundant opportunity to discover and nurture a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Through the classroom, corporate worship, service to others, and time and space for personal devotion, the programs and environment at WWU enable faculty, staff, and students to grow in a spiritual walk and journey with God with support from others.


Quick info

Colors: Orange and Green

Mascot: Wolves

President: John McVay

Ethnic diversity: 46 percent

Student–faculty ratio: 13:1

Full-time faculty: 107

Average high school GPA: 3.577

Largest undergraduate programs:

  • Nursing.
  • Business.
  • Engineering.
  • Biology.
  • Education.

Varsity teams:

  • Women’s basketball, cross-country, golf, volleyball.
  • Men’s basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer.

Find more facts and statistics about Walla Walla University.