Best Private Colleges in Washington 2024

Badge for BEST IN WASHINGTON PRIVATE COLLEGES

Published: May 5, 2021
Updated: Oct 16, 2023

Private colleges, unlike large public institutions, can be a great option for students wanting a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Here is our list of the best private colleges in Washington.

Seattle University
Gonzaga University
Whitman College
University of Puget Sound
Seattle Pacific University
Pacific Lutheran University
Walla Walla University
Whitworth University
City University of Seattle
DigiPen Institute of Technology

Saint Martin's University 95%
Northwest University 94%
Seattle Pacific University 91%
Whitworth University 91%
Pacific Lutheran University 89%
Seattle University 85%
University of Puget Sound 83%
Gonzaga University 70%
DigiPen Institute of Technology 66%
Whitman College 48%

Charter College 25 to 1
Walla Walla University 13 to 1
Seattle Pacific University 12 to 1
Gonzaga University 12 to 1
Pacific Lutheran University 11 to 1
Saint Martin's University 11 to 1
Seattle University 10 to 1
Whitworth University 10 to 1
DigiPen Institute of Technology 10 to 1
Whitman College 9 to 1

Whitman College $58,622
University of Puget Sound $57,626
Seattle University $51,324
Pacific Lutheran University $50,928
Gonzaga University $50,735
Whitworth University $48,990
Saint Martin's University $42,220
Seattle Pacific University $37,158
DigiPen Institute of Technology $36,100
Northwest University $35,000

University of Puget Sound $37,307
Pacific Lutheran University $32,116
DigiPen Institute of Technology $29,740
Walla Walla University $27,105
Seattle Pacific University $19,764
Gonzaga University $19,422
Northwest University $19,188
Antioch University Seattle $19,128
Saint Martin's University $15,312
Seattle University $14,292

Heritage University
Charter College
Northwest University
Antioch University Seattle
Saint Martin's University
Whitworth University
Walla Walla University
City University of Seattle
DigiPen Institute of Technology
Pacific Lutheran University

Antioch University Seattle
Heritage University
Charter College
Northwest University
Saint Martin's University
DigiPen Institute of Technology
City University of Seattle
Whitworth University
Walla Walla University
Pacific Lutheran University

Whitman College 48%
DigiPen Institute of Technology 66%
Gonzaga University 70%
University of Puget Sound 83%
Seattle University 85%
Pacific Lutheran University 89%
Whitworth University 91%
Seattle Pacific University 91%
Northwest University 94%
Saint Martin's University 95%

Antioch University Seattle 3 to 1
City University of Seattle 6 to 1
Heritage University 8 to 1
Whitman College 9 to 1
Northwest University 9 to 1
University of Puget Sound 9 to 1
Seattle University 10 to 1
Whitworth University 10 to 1
DigiPen Institute of Technology 10 to 1
Pacific Lutheran University 11 to 1

City University of Seattle $13,558
Charter College $17,116
Antioch University Seattle $19,260
Heritage University $19,500
Walla Walla University $31,758
Northwest University $35,000
DigiPen Institute of Technology $36,100
Seattle Pacific University $37,158
Saint Martin's University $42,220
Whitworth University $48,990

Heritage University $10,020
City University of Seattle $11,812
Whitworth University $12,816
Seattle University $14,292
Saint Martin's University $15,312
Antioch University Seattle $19,128
Northwest University $19,188
Gonzaga University $19,422
Seattle Pacific University $19,764
Walla Walla University $27,105

Table of Contents

Colleges and Universities in Washington

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.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

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.

What are Washington’s Colleges & Universities?

Washington’s Best Overall

What is the difference between public and private colleges?

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.

How do we determine Washington's best private colleges and universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

This list is composed entirely of private colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 15 private universities in Washington. To be included in the list below of the best private universities in Washington, schools must be fully accredited, private, non-profit institution, and must offer a broad range of bachelor’s degrees.