Colleges in Washington
This page aggregates every Title IV–eligible college and university with a primary campus in Washington, drawing from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, IPEDS institutional reports, and de-identified IRS earnings linkage for federal-aid recipients. Coverage includes public flagships, regional comprehensives, community and technical colleges, private nonprofit institutions, and for-profit schools.
The state-aggregate statistics below include all reporting institutions in Washington as a single denominator — community colleges, public universities, private nonprofits, and for-profit institutions are pooled. State averages are therefore useful for high-level framing (in-state tuition is X, average admission rate is Y, average earnings are Z) but should not be read as representative of any specific sector or institution. Drill into individual school profiles for the full picture: admissions, costs (sticker and net), federal-aid usage, completion, retention, demographics, and earnings outcomes 6 and 10 years after enrollment.
The most-recent Scorecard release is from September 2024. Tuition figures reflect institutional reports for the 2022–23 academic year and may differ from current-year prices. Earnings data has an inherent lag — the 10-year earnings horizon reflects students who enrolled approximately a decade prior to the data publication, as the IRS-matching process requires time to accumulate post-enrollment income.
Largest Colleges in Washington by Enrollment
Highest Earnings 10-Year Median — Washington
What the IPEDS Data Shows for Colleges in Washington
Washington has 101 Title IV-participating postsecondary institutions in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the federal directory that captures every college eligible to award federal student aid. The ownership mix is 48 public institutions, 0 private nonprofits, and 0 private for-profit schools — a structural split that drives most of the tuition variation visible in the table below. Public institutions typically report substantially lower in-state tuition because state appropriations subsidize the published price, while private nonprofits often show higher sticker prices that are partially offset by institutional aid.
Cost and selectivity signals vary widely even within a single state. The average in-state tuition across Washington institutions is $15,340, and the average admission rate (weighted by institutions that report one) sits at 75.6%. Admission rates from IPEDS exclude open-enrollment institutions, which is why community colleges and many for-profits show as unreported rather than at 100 percent. Looking at the table, the acceptance-rate column is blank for schools that don’t screen applicants, a meaningful distinction when evaluating selectivity alongside earnings.
Post-graduation outcomes tie cost to return. Graduates of Washington colleges earn a mean of $49,948 ten years after enrollment, based on U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal aid applicants through the College Scorecard data file. Because earnings depend heavily on field of study and local labor markets, state-level averages should be read alongside each school’s program mix. The table sorts every institution with reported IPEDS enrollment so prospective students can compare acceptance rates, enrollment scale, and median earnings side by side rather than relying on third-party rankings.
All Schools in Washington
| School Name | City | Type | Enrollment | Acceptance Rate | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | Seattle | Public | 31,942 | 39.1% | $78,466 |
| Washington State University | Pullman | Public | 21,099 | 86.6% | $68,905 |
| Western Washington University | Bellingham | Public | 13,544 | 93.3% | $62,569 |
| Central Washington University | Ellensburg | Public | 7,833 | 90.6% | $61,580 |
| Bellevue College | Bellevue | Public | 7,364 | — | $56,310 |
| Eastern Washington University | Cheney | Public | 6,222 | 90.8% | $57,897 |
| University of Washington-Bothell Campus | Bothell | Public | 5,457 | 90.6% | $78,466 |
| Pierce College District | Lakewood | Public | 5,313 | — | $47,532 |
| Gonzaga University | Spokane | Private Nonprofit | 5,198 | 81.7% | $78,892 |
| Green River College | Auburn | Public | 4,965 | — | $50,712 |
| Clark College | Vancouver | Public | 4,945 | — | $42,356 |
| Everett Community College | Everett | Public | 4,709 | — | $45,434 |
| Tacoma Community College | Tacoma | Public | 4,668 | — | $47,168 |
| Columbia Basin College | Pasco | Public | 4,640 | — | $46,680 |
| Spokane Community College | Spokane | Public | 4,533 | — | $41,984 |
| University of Washington-Tacoma Campus | Tacoma | Public | 4,185 | 82.5% | $78,466 |
| Seattle University | Seattle | Private Nonprofit | 4,062 | 76.9% | $75,272 |
| Seattle Central College | Seattle | Public | 3,953 | — | $43,307 |
| Highline College | Des Moines | Public | 3,838 | — | $47,869 |
| Olympic College | Bremerton | Public | 3,826 | — | $43,169 |
| Edmonds College | Lynnwood | Public | 3,656 | — | $48,144 |
| Spokane Falls Community College | Spokane | Public | 3,199 | — | $38,955 |
| South Puget Sound Community College | Olympia | Public | 3,075 | — | $45,039 |
| North Seattle College | Seattle | Public | 3,074 | — | $47,728 |
| Shoreline Community College | Shoreline | Public | 3,046 | — | $52,009 |
| Yakima Valley College | Yakima | Public | 2,770 | — | $43,499 |
| Clover Park Technical College | Lakewood | Public | 2,636 | — | $41,787 |
| Skagit Valley College | Mount Vernon | Public | 2,477 | — | $43,505 |
| Walla Walla Community College | Walla Walla | Public | 2,418 | — | $43,526 |
| Lake Washington Institute of Technology | Kirkland | Public | 2,406 | — | $50,669 |
| Pacific Lutheran University | Tacoma | Private Nonprofit | 2,401 | 78.0% | $66,990 |
| Whatcom Community College | Bellingham | Public | 2,378 | — | $44,092 |
| The Evergreen State College | Olympia | Public | 2,160 | 96.4% | $45,320 |
| Lower Columbia College | Longview | Public | 1,932 | — | $40,691 |
| Whitworth University | Spokane | Private Nonprofit | 1,858 | 89.8% | $58,561 |
| Bates Technical College | Tacoma | Public | 1,813 | — | $50,051 |
| Renton Technical College | Renton | Public | 1,783 | — | $49,782 |
| Seattle Pacific University | Seattle | Private Nonprofit | 1,762 | 83.4% | $64,506 |
| Wenatchee Valley College | Wenatchee | Public | 1,759 | — | $41,127 |
| Bellingham Technical College | Bellingham | Public | 1,733 | — | $49,748 |
| South Seattle College | Seattle | Public | 1,616 | — | $44,486 |
| University of Puget Sound | Tacoma | Private Nonprofit | 1,594 | 72.3% | $69,594 |
| Centralia College | Centralia | Public | 1,552 | — | $43,140 |
| Whitman College | Walla Walla | Private Nonprofit | 1,531 | 38.1% | $67,589 |
| Big Bend Community College | Moses Lake | Public | 1,272 | — | $43,814 |
| Peninsula College | Port Angeles | Public | 1,263 | — | $37,078 |
| Walla Walla University | College Place | Private Nonprofit | 1,252 | — | $61,885 |
| Evergreen Beauty and Barber College-Everett | Everett | Private For-Profit | 1,172 | — | $26,872 |
| Saint Martin's University | Lacey | Private Nonprofit | 1,158 | 89.8% | $62,092 |
| City University of Seattle | Seattle | Private Nonprofit | 1,137 | — | $69,460 |
| Perry Technical Institute | Yakima | Private Nonprofit | 1,072 | — | $57,764 |
| Cascadia College | Bothell | Public | 1,032 | — | $54,133 |
| Grays Harbor College | Aberdeen | Public | 1,010 | — | $40,865 |
| DigiPen Institute of Technology | Redmond | Private For-Profit | 995 | 64.4% | $79,878 |
| Heritage University | Toppenish | Private Nonprofit | 812 | — | $49,416 |
| UEI College-Tacoma | Tacoma | Private For-Profit | 689 | — | $30,848 |
| Northwest University | Kirkland | Private Nonprofit | 645 | 83.2% | $54,914 |
| Northwest Indian College | Bellingham | Public | 629 | — | $35,447 |
| Pima Medical Institute-Seattle | Seattle | Private For-Profit | 471 | — | $38,673 |
| Pima Medical Institute-Renton | Renton | Private For-Profit | 456 | — | $38,673 |
| Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education | Kirkland | Private Nonprofit | 405 | — | $54,914 |
| Carrington College-Spokane | Spokane | Private For-Profit | 352 | — | $36,625 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Spokane | Spokane Valley | Private For-Profit | 296 | — | $27,209 |
| Faith International University | Tacoma | Private Nonprofit | 276 | — | $51,006 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Richland | Richland | Private For-Profit | 256 | — | $27,407 |
| Divers Institute of Technology | Seattle | Private For-Profit | 198 | — | $62,489 |
| Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute Seattle | Seattle | Private For-Profit | 154 | — | $32,491 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Federal Way | Federal Way | Private For-Profit | 147 | — | $31,123 |
| International Beauty Education Center | Airway Heights | Private For-Profit | 146 | — | — |
| Whitworth University-Adult Degree Programs | Spokane | Private Nonprofit | 145 | 28.6% | $58,561 |
| Northwest College of Art & Design | Tacoma | Private For-Profit | 139 | 66.0% | $31,167 |
| Summit Salon Academy | Tacoma | Private For-Profit | 138 | — | $31,648 |
| Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Shoreline | Shoreline | Private For-Profit | 131 | — | $29,827 |
| Pacific Northwest Christian College | Kennewick | Private Nonprofit | 129 | — | — |
| Aveda Institute Portland-Vancouver Campus | Vancouver | Private For-Profit | 122 | — | $33,003 |
| Elite Cosmetology Barber & Spa Academy | Yakima | Private For-Profit | 118 | — | — |
| Centralia Beauty College | Centralia | Private For-Profit | 90 | — | — |
| Studio Beauty School | Spokane Valley | Private For-Profit | 81 | — | — |
| Antioch University-Seattle | Seattle | Private Nonprofit | 74 | — | $51,541 |
| Seattle Film Institute | Seattle | Private For-Profit | 65 | — | — |
| Stylemaster College of Hair Design | Longview | Private For-Profit | 50 | — | $20,580 |
| Northwest HVAC/R Training Center | Spokane | Private Nonprofit | 50 | — | $60,551 |
| Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building | Port Hadlock | Private Nonprofit | 50 | — | — |
| Great Northern University | Spokane | Private Nonprofit | 48 | 100.0% | — |
| Academy of Interactive Entertainment | Seattle | Private Nonprofit | 47 | 41.6% | — |
| BJ's Beauty & Barber College | Tacoma | Private For-Profit | 40 | — | $23,216 |
| Bastyr University | Kenmore | Private Nonprofit | 39 | — | $49,364 |
| Zorganics Institute of Beauty and Wellness | Bellingham | Private For-Profit | 35 | — | — |
| Victoria's Academy of Cosmetology | Kennewick | Private For-Profit | 34 | — | $24,668 |
| Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine | Seattle | Private Nonprofit | — | — | — |
| The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology | Seattle | Private Nonprofit | — | — | — |
| Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences | Yakima | Private Nonprofit | — | — | — |
| Moody Bible Institute - Spokane | Spokane | Private Nonprofit | — | — | $45,399 |
| Columbia College - Naval Station Everett/Marysville | Marysville | Private Nonprofit | — | — | $45,378 |
| Columbia College - Whidbey Island | Oak Harbor | Private Nonprofit | — | — | $45,378 |
| Shoreline Community College - Dental Hygiene | Seattle | Public | — | — | $52,009 |
| Washington State University-Vancouver | Vancouver | Public | — | — | $68,905 |
| Washington State University-Spokane | Spokane | Public | — | — | $68,905 |
| Washington State University-Tri Cities | Richland | Public | — | — | $68,905 |
| Washington State University - Everett Campus | Everett | Public | — | — | $68,905 |
| Washington State University - Global Campus | Pullman | Public | — | — | $68,905 |
Featured Colleges in Washington
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About This Data
School data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS institutional characteristics files. Enrollment, admissions, and earnings figures are the most recently available. Earnings represent median income 10 years after enrollment for students who received federal financial aid, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal student aid applicants.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.