You’re walking down 15th Street NW, maybe a few blocks from the White House, and you see it. It isn't a massive, ivy-covered campus with sprawling quads and frisbee-throwing freshmen. It’s a building. A professional, high-rise space that looks more like a law firm or a government agency than a traditional college. This is Strayer University in Washington DC, and if you’ve lived in the District for a while, you know it’s basically part of the city's architectural and professional furniture.
But here’s the thing. Most people don’t really get what happens inside those walls. They see the signs, they hear the radio ads, and they wonder: Is it just an online school? Is it actually in DC? Is it worth the tuition?
Honestly, Strayer is a bit of a local chameleon. It’s been around since 1892—long before the internet was even a sci-fi dream—and it has pivoted more times than a local politician during election season.
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The Reality of the DC Campus
If you're looking for the "main" hub, you'll find it at 1133 15th St NW, Suite 200. It’s right in the heart of the action. You've got the K Street lobbyists to one side and the tourists at the National Mall a short hike to the south.
Unlike a state school, this campus doesn't have a football stadium. It doesn't have a marching band. What it does have is a lot of people in business casual rushing in for 6:00 PM classes after a full day at the Department of Labor or a nearby tech startup.
The DC campus is small. We’re talking a few hundred students on-site, though the global reach is massive. It’s designed for the working adult. You won't find many 18-year-olds living in dorms because, well, there are no dorms. Most students are here for a specific reason: they need a promotion, they’re switching careers, or they finally want to check "finish degree" off their bucket list.
What do they actually teach?
Strayer doesn't try to be everything to everyone. You aren't going there for a degree in 16th-century poetry. They lean hard into Business Administration, Information Technology, and Criminal Justice.
They also host the Jack Welch Management Institute, which is their high-profile Executive MBA program. If you’ve spent any time in corporate America, that name carries some weight. It’s built on the philosophy of the former GE CEO, focusing on "radical candor" and "differentiation." It’s polarizing for some, but for the DC corporate crowd, it’s a popular way to grab a credential that looks good on a LinkedIn header.
Why Strayer Matters to DC Professionals
Let's talk about the "secret sauce" of why this place keeps its doors open in one of the most competitive education markets in the world.
DC is a city of credentials. You can't throw a rock without hitting someone with a Master's degree. In this environment, Strayer caters to the "missing middle." These are the professionals who can’t quit their jobs to go to Georgetown full-time but need more than just a random online certificate to get past HR filters at federal agencies like the USDA or the IRS.
- Quarter System: They run on quarters, not semesters. This means you’re in and out of classes every 11 weeks. It’s fast.
- The "Graduation Fund": This is a weirdly cool thing they do. For every three classes you pass, they basically give you a "credit" toward a free class at the end of your program. In a city where a sandwich costs $18, free tuition is a big deal.
- Corporate Partnerships: They have deals with hundreds of Fortune 1000 companies. If you work for someone like Fiat Chrysler or certain federal contractors, your tuition might be partially or fully covered.
The Cost Question: Is it a Money Pit?
Look, we have to be real here. Strayer is a private, for-profit university. That phrase alone makes some people nervous.
For the 2025–2026 academic year, undergraduate tuition is roughly $1,555 per course for many students. If you’re looking at a full degree, you’re easily looking at a total cost hovering around the $40,000 to $60,000 range before financial aid.
Is that expensive? Compared to a community college, yes. Compared to a private school like George Washington University? Not even close.
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The average debt for a Strayer grad is somewhere around $40,000. That’s a lot of money. However, for a mid-career professional in DC making $70k who needs a degree to jump to a $95k GS-level government job, the math often works out. It’s a transaction. You’re buying a tool to fix a specific problem in your career.
Success and Alumni: The Real-World Test
Does the degree actually work?
Critics often point to lower graduation rates at for-profit schools. And yeah, the 18% graduation rate for the DC campus looks rough on paper. But you have to remember who the students are. These aren't kids whose only job is to study. These are parents, veterans, and full-time employees. Life happens. People pause their education because their boss changed their shift or their kid got sick.
When they do finish, the results can be impressive. Take Gary Washington, the CIO of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He’s a Strayer grad. So is Charles Mann, the former Washington Redskins (now Commanders) defensive end who went back for his BBA and MBA.
The school has a strong pull with the military too. Because of the proximity to the Pentagon and various bases, you’ll find a lot of veterans using their GI Bill here. The flexibility of switching between the 15th Street campus and online classes is a lifesaver for people who might get deployed or moved at a moment's notice.
Common Misconceptions
"It’s just an online diploma mill." Nope. Not really. While they were early adopters of online tech, they are regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. That’s the same body that accredits the big names in the region. If it were a mill, federal agencies wouldn't accept the degrees for pay grade increases.
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"The campus is always empty."
If you go at 10:00 AM on a Tuesday, yeah, it’s quiet. If you go at 6:30 PM on a Wednesday, the place is buzzing. It’s a "commuter" campus in the truest sense of the word.
Actionable Steps for DC Residents
If you’re sitting in an office in Foggy Bottom or a row house in Capitol Hill thinking about enrolling, don't just click "apply" on a whim.
- Check your employer's portal first. Strayer has specific "Degrees @ Work" partnerships. You might find out your company pays for the whole thing, and you didn't even know it.
- Visit the 15th Street office. Seriously. Go talk to an advisor in person. Ask about the Fellows for Justice scholarship if you're active in your community.
- Audit the "Accelerate" options. They have courses that let you test out of material you already know from your job. If you've been an IT manager for ten years, you shouldn't be paying full price to sit through "Intro to Computers."
- Compare the ROI. Use the Department of Education’s College Scorecard. Look at the specific salary increase for your major (like Accounting vs. Criminal Justice) in the DC metro area specifically.
Strayer University in Washington DC isn't a traditional "college experience." It’s a career utility. It’s built for the person who doesn't have time for the fluff but needs the paper to get to the next level. In a city as driven and expensive as DC, that’s a niche that isn't going away anytime soon.
Next Steps for Your Research:
- Verify Accreditation: Check the MSCHE website to see the latest status of Strayer's accreditation and any recent self-study reports.
- Review the 2026 Catalog: Look at the specific course requirements for the Jack Welch Management Institute if you are considering an MBA.
- Request a Tuition Estimate: Use the net price calculator on the Strayer website to get a realistic look at your out-of-pocket costs after the Graduation Fund is applied.