Here are the most affordable colleges and universities in Washington. Our list will help you find the right kind of school for you, at a price you can afford.
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.
There are 35 colleges and universities in Washington with stated tuitions and fees under $20,000/year. The following list of the most affordable colleges and universities in Washington is composed entirely of schools offering bachelor’s degree programs, have stated tuition and fees near or under the national average of $16,000/year, and are fully accredited colleges.
These schools are ranked by academic excellence, and all under $20,000/year.
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
$14K
Student body
1K
City University of Seattle’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
$17K
Graduation
52%
Student body
7K
Charter 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