Public colleges and universities account for almost 75 percent of all undergraduate students in the U.S. The best public colleges in Washington provide broad access to reputable degree programs, affordable tuition, and sprawling educational communities.
Of the 40 public options, the University of Washington in Seattle is the largest. Roughly 40,000 students attend classes in fields like nursing, education, biology, and computer science. This public research institution is also affordable, charging about $11,000 for tuition. In fact, none of the public schools in Washington exceed $12,000 in price. This includes community colleges, technical colleges, and four-year universities, making Washington a uniquely affordable place to earn your associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree.
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Washington also has 24 private institutions. Of those, nine are religious. The most widely known of these, Catholic university Gonzaga enrolls roughly 7,000 students, at a cost of $40,000, in areas such as religious studies, engineering, and law. Central Washington University (CWU) is a smaller public school, serving just over 12,000 students, and has a tuition of $8,000. With 15% of its population being Hispanic, CWU is now recognized as an emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution. Washington health professions also have the opportunity to receive funding for loan repayment through Washington’s Health Professional Loan Repayment Program.
Set in the Pacific Northwest, Washington offers ocean beaches and lush forests. In fact, over half the state is covered in forests, earning Washington its nickname as The Evergreen State. Viewers atop the Space Needle in Seattle can take in the sights of Puget Sound, Mount Rainier, and both the Cascades and Olympic mountain ranges. In addition, prospective students can choose from over 60 higher education institutions in the state.
Check out the top higher education programs and find an affordable degree in Washington.
Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.
Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.
This list is composed entirely of public colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 32 public universities in Washington. To be included in our list of the best public colleges in Washington, shcools must receive direct funding from the state, be fully accredited, and offer a broad range of bachelor’s degress.
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
53%
Graduation
84%
Student body
44K
Median SAT/ACT
1326/30
University of Washington’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
60%
Student body
27K
Median SAT/ACT
1115/23
Washington State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
96%
Graduation
68%
Student body
14K
Median SAT/ACT
1175/25
Western Washington University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
99%
Graduation
43%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1078/20
Evergreen State College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
97%
Graduation
50%
Student body
11K
Median SAT/ACT
985/19
Eastern Washington University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
88%
Graduation
54%
Student body
11K
Median SAT/ACT
1040/20
Central Washington University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
33%
Student body
11K
Bellevue College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
83%
Graduation
58%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1070/20
University of Washington Tacoma’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
83%
Graduation
66%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1155/23
University of Washington Bothell’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
36%
Student body
5K
Columbia Basin College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
51%
Student body
1K
Peninsula College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
35%
Student body
5K
Seattle Central College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
33%
Student body
3K
Wenatchee Valley College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
36%
Student body
5K
Highline College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
32%
Student body
5K
Spokane Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
43%
Student body
3K
Lake Washington Institute of Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
33%
Student body
3K
Spokane Falls Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
35%
Student body
3K
Skagit Valley College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
31%
Student body
5K
Olympic College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
44%
Student body
2K
Centralia College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
38%
Student body
7K
Green River College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Graduation
35%
Student body
5K
Edmonds College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
40%
Student body
3K
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
34%
Student body
2K
Whatcom Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
37%
Student body
5K
Tacoma Community College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.
Check out our directory of public colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top public colleges in every state.