Seattle University
Seattle University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Seattle University Featured Rankings
- #1 Best Christian Colleges in Washington 2026
- #1 Best Private Colleges in Washington 2026
- #2 Best Online MBAs Washington
- #2 Most Influential US Universities by State
- #3 Best Research Universities in Washington 2026
- #3 Best Grad Schools in Washington
- #4 Best Colleges in Washington
- #26 Best Christian Colleges 2026
About Seattle University
According to Wikipedia, Seattle University is a private Jesuit university in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the largest independent university in the Northwestern United States, with over 7,500 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs within eight schools.
Seattle University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8,976 | 77% | 84% | 71% | 1315 | 26 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Seattle University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $58,965 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $21,379 |
| 30K - 48K | $21,026 |
| 48K - 75K | $22,301 |
| 75K - 110K | $32,633 |
| 110K+ | $45,994 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Seattle University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Seattle University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $84,728 a year, and 94% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Seattle University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 7,981 | 4,493 | 3,488 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Seattle University?
Seattle University is located at 900 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122-4340.
How Safe is Seattle University?
Relative to its enrollment, Seattle University has a violent crime rate of 0.03% and a property crime rate of 0.57%. Seattle has a violent crime rate of 0.79% and a property crime rate of 5.11%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Seattle University Known For?
Seattle University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Nursing
- Computer Science
- Law
- Economics
- Engineering
- Criminal Justice
- Religious Studies
- Biology
- Business
- Psychology
- Political Science
- Education
- Philosophy
- Sociology
- Mathematics
- Social Work
- Earth Sciences
- History
- Physics
- Medical
- Communications
- Literature
- Anthropology
- Chemistry
Seattle University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Seattle University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Seattle University ranks #30 in the U.S. and #49 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesSeattle University ranks #90 in the U.S. and #298 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesSeattle University ranks #153 in the U.S. and #440 worldwide for influence in Law.
Seattle University ranks #162 in the U.S. and #712 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesSeattle University ranks #167 in the U.S. and #802 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesSeattle University ranks #179 in the U.S. and #305 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesSeattle University ranks #187 in the U.S. and #824 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesSeattle University ranks #223 in the U.S. and #797 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesSeattle University ranks #229 in the U.S. and #720 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesSeattle University ranks #247 in the U.S. and #586 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesSeattle University ranks #266 in the U.S. and #1068 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesSeattle University ranks #267 in the U.S. and #1074 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesSeattle University ranks #270 in the U.S. and #871 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesSeattle University ranks #282 in the U.S. and #1000 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesSeattle University ranks #298 in the U.S. and #1164 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesSeattle University ranks #311 in the U.S. and #756 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesSeattle University ranks #348 in the U.S. and #1481 worldwide for influence in Earth Sciences.
earth-science DegreesSeattle University ranks #367 in the U.S. and #1027 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesSeattle University ranks #381 in the U.S. and #1711 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesSeattle University ranks #395 in the U.S. and #1432 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesSeattle University ranks #403 in the U.S. and #1514 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesSeattle University ranks #453 in the U.S. and #1366 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesSeattle University ranks #642 in the U.S. and #2013 worldwide for influence in Anthropology.
anthropology DegreesSeattle University ranks #852 in the U.S. and #3766 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesWho Are Seattle University's Most Influential Alumni?
Seattle University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Nursing, Computer Science, and Criminal Justice. Here are some of Seattle University's most famous alumni:
- John Hopcroft
- An American computer scientist.
- Steve McConnell
- An American software engineer.
- Henry Manne
- An American legal scholar.
- Elgin Baylor
- An American basketball player, coach, and executive .
- Robin DiAngelo
- An American academic.
- Duff McKagan
- An American rock musician.
- Clint Eastwood
- An American actor and film director .
- Richard A. Jones
- A United States federal judge.
- David James Davies
- A Welsh economist, industrialist, writer, activist and pilot.
- Frank Murkowski
- An American politician in Alaska .
- Dave Barrett
- A Canadian politician .
- Catherine LaCugna
- An American theologian .
Who Are Seattle University's Most Influential Faculty?
Seattle University's most influential faculty include professors in the fields of Nursing, Computer Science, and Criminal Justice. Here are some of Seattle University's most famous faculty:
- Dean Spade
- An American activist.
- Kshama Sawant
- An American politician and economist.
- Cyrus Habib
- An American Jesuit and Politician.
- Courtney Milan
- An American writer.
- Jill Otake
- A United States federal judge for the District of Hawaii.
- Allison Henrich
- An American mathematician.
- Kristen O'Neill
- An American basketball player.
- Joy Hollingsworth
- An American basketball player and coach.
