PickACampus
Loading...

Best Colleges in Washington

All 59 colleges in Washington, ranked by overall quality and led by Gonzaga University, University of Washington-Seattle Campus and Seattle University. 34 public, 25 private. median out-of-state tuition $12,553. lowest in-state tuition $4,197 at Olympic College. Each school below shows its acceptance rate, tuition and average SAT.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best college in Washington?

Based on our overall rankings, Gonzaga University is the top-ranked college in Washington. Other strong choices include University of Washington-Seattle Campus, Seattle University, Whitman College.

How many colleges are in Washington?

We track 59 four-year colleges in Washington, including 34 public institutions and 25 private ones.

How much does college cost in Washington?

The average out-of-state tuition across colleges we track in Washington is approximately $12,553 per year. In-state students at public schools typically pay significantly less, and most schools offer financial aid that reduces the effective cost.

What are the best public colleges in Washington?

The best public colleges in Washington include University of Washington-Seattle Campus, University of Washington-Bothell Campus, University of Washington-Tacoma Campus. Public universities typically offer lower tuition for in-state residents.

What are the best private colleges in Washington?

The best private colleges in Washington include Gonzaga University, Seattle University, Whitman College. Private colleges may offer more generous financial aid despite higher sticker prices.

How are these Washington rankings determined?

Our overall rankings are calculated independently from publicly available data including U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, IPEDS, and aggregated student-experience signals — not from US News or any other publication.

By major in Washington

  1. 1. Gonzaga University — Spokane, WA · 81.7% acceptance · SAT 1,335 · $55,480 tuition · 86% grad rate
  2. 2. University of Washington-Seattle Campus — Seattle, WA · 39.2% acceptance · $43,209 tuition · 85% grad rate
  3. 3. Seattle University — Seattle, WA · 76.9% acceptance · SAT 1,307 · $56,721 tuition · 76% grad rate
  4. 4. Whitman College — Walla Walla, WA · 38.2% acceptance · SAT 1,410 · $64,050 tuition · 81% grad rate
  5. 5. University of Washington-Bothell Campus — Bothell, WA · 90.6% acceptance · $43,155 tuition · 65% grad rate
  6. 6. University of Washington-Tacoma Campus — Tacoma, WA · 82.5% acceptance · $43,404 tuition · 63% grad rate
  7. 7. University of Puget Sound — Tacoma, WA · 72.3% acceptance · SAT 1,296 · $62,898 tuition · 68% grad rate
  8. 8. Pacific Lutheran University — Tacoma, WA · 78% acceptance · SAT 1,168 · $52,254 tuition · 69% grad rate
  9. 9. Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building — Port Hadlock, WA · $20,025 tuition · 90% grad rate
  10. 10. DigiPen Institute of Technology — Redmond, WA · 64.4% acceptance · SAT 1,297 · $38,950 tuition · 61% grad rate
  11. 11. Washington State University — Pullman, WA · 86.6% acceptance · $29,950 tuition · 61% grad rate
  12. 12. Whitworth University — Spokane, WA · 89.8% acceptance · SAT 1,220 · $52,880 tuition · 71% grad rate
  13. 13. Western Washington University — Bellingham, WA · 93.3% acceptance · SAT 1,289 · $28,707 tuition · 65% grad rate
  14. 14. Walla Walla University — College Place, WA · $34,227 tuition · 60% grad rate
  15. 15. Northwest University — Kirkland, WA · 83.2% acceptance · SAT 1,150 · $36,035 tuition · 71% grad rate
  16. 16. Seattle Pacific University — Seattle, WA · 83.4% acceptance · $40,407 tuition · 62% grad rate
  17. 17. Saint Martin's University — Lacey, WA · 89.8% acceptance · SAT 1,093 · $45,510 tuition · 52% grad rate
  18. 18. Central Washington University — Ellensburg, WA · 90.6% acceptance · $27,526 tuition · 54% grad rate
  19. 19. Eastern Washington University — Cheney, WA · 90.8% acceptance · $25,959 tuition · 43% grad rate
  20. 20. Great Northern University — Spokane, WA · 100% acceptance · $18,300 tuition · 50% grad rate
  21. 21. Heritage University — Toppenish, WA · $20,928 tuition · 46% grad rate
  22. 22. Seattle Film Institute — Seattle, WA · $33,000 tuition · 57% grad rate
  23. 23. The Evergreen State College — Olympia, WA · 96.4% acceptance · SAT 1,216 · $31,905 tuition · 41% grad rate
  24. 24. Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education — Kirkland, WA · $14,652 tuition · 40% grad rate
  25. 25. Pacific Northwest Christian College — Kennewick, WA · $11,350 tuition · 68% grad rate
  26. 26. Northwest College of Art & Design — Tacoma, WA · 66% acceptance · $18,100 tuition · 48% grad rate
  27. 27. Faith International University — Tacoma, WA · $8,850 tuition · 25% grad rate
  28. 28. Bellevue College — Bellevue, WA · $10,502 tuition · 36% grad rate
  29. 29. Cascadia College — Bothell, WA · $11,296 tuition · 32% grad rate
  30. 30. Green River College — Auburn, WA · $5,263 tuition · 39% grad rate
  31. 31. South Puget Sound Community College — Olympia, WA · $5,813 tuition · 44% grad rate
  32. 32. Centralia College — Centralia, WA · $5,651 tuition · 42% grad rate
  33. 33. Walla Walla Community College — Walla Walla, WA · $6,700 tuition · 38% grad rate
  34. 34. Highline College — Des Moines, WA · $5,332 tuition · 35% grad rate
  35. 35. Northwest Indian College — Bellingham, WA · $4,365 tuition · 18% grad rate
  36. 36. Everett Community College — Everett, WA · $11,171 tuition · 37% grad rate
  37. 37. Big Bend Community College — Moses Lake, WA · $5,619 tuition · 42% grad rate
  38. 38. Shoreline Community College — Shoreline, WA · $7,905 tuition · 29% grad rate
  39. 39. Wenatchee Valley College — Wenatchee, WA · $5,636 tuition · 43% grad rate
  40. 40. Whatcom Community College — Bellingham, WA · $11,037 tuition · 36% grad rate
  41. 41. Edmonds College — Lynnwood, WA · $10,875 tuition · 29% grad rate
  42. 42. Tacoma Community College — Tacoma, WA · $11,646 tuition · 32% grad rate
  43. 43. Clark College — Vancouver, WA · $11,183 tuition · 39% grad rate
  44. 44. Pierce College District — Lakewood, WA · $5,976 tuition · 31% grad rate
  45. 45. Skagit Valley College — Mount Vernon, WA · $7,500 tuition · 36% grad rate
  46. 46. Columbia Basin College — Pasco, WA · $8,668 tuition · 33% grad rate
  47. 47. Spokane Community College — Spokane, WA · $6,612 tuition · 33% grad rate
  48. 48. Olympic College — Bremerton, WA · $9,740 tuition · 31% grad rate
  49. 49. Grays Harbor College — Aberdeen, WA · $12,553 tuition · 39% grad rate
  50. 50. Yakima Valley College — Yakima, WA · $5,873 tuition · 29% grad rate
  51. 51. Seattle Central College — Seattle, WA · $5,745 tuition · 32% grad rate
  52. 52. City University of Seattle — Seattle, WA
  53. 53. Spokane Falls Community College — Spokane, WA · $6,612 tuition · 32% grad rate
  54. 54. Lower Columbia College — Longview, WA · $6,003 tuition · 23% grad rate
  55. 55. Whitworth University-Adult Degree Programs — Spokane, WA · 28.6% acceptance · $13,560 tuition
  56. 56. Bastyr University — Kenmore, WA
  57. 57. Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine — Seattle, WA
  58. 58. The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology — Seattle, WA
  59. 59. Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences — Yakima, WA

Best Colleges in Washington on PickACampus