Best Colleges for Social Mobility in Washington (2026)
Updated
Best Colleges for Social Mobility in Washington lists 19 four-year institutions in Washington. Schools are ordered by Azimuth's mobility pillar for Washington, highest first.
The pillar measures historical low-income earnings relative to peers, the scale of Pell enrollment and Pell completion, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. University of Washington-Seattle Campus ranks 1st on this list, with median earnings of $82,515 for its graduates four years after completing.
The list includes 6 public and 13 private nonprofit schools, with public institutions making up 32% of the group.
University of Washington-Seattle Campus ranks 72nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally. Eastern Washington University posts the lowest average net price on the page at $13,886, while Gonzaga University holds the highest six-year completion rate at 86%.
The Evergreen State College admits 96% of applicants, the highest admission rate on the list.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $82,515 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 39.2% |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus ranks 1st on this list and reports median earnings of $82,515 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 2 | Washington State University · Pullman, WA | $73,467 | $14,971 | $7,074 | 86.6% |
| Washington State University admits 87% of applicants and shows a six-year completion rate of 60%. | |||||
| 3 | Central Washington University · Ellensburg, WA | $63,444 | $18,476 | $11,846 | 90.6% |
| With an average net price of $11,846 for families earning under $30,000, Central Washington University ranks 3rd on this page. | |||||
| 4 | Eastern Washington University · Cheney, WA | $60,781 | $13,886 | $9,547 | 90.8% |
| Eastern Washington University posts median earnings of $60,781 for its graduates four years after completing and holds an average net price of $13,886. | |||||
| 5 | Western Washington University · Bellingham, WA | $58,560 | $21,193 | $12,915 | 93.3% |
| Western Washington University ranks 533rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and graduates 65% of its students within six years. | |||||
| 6 | Whitman College · Walla Walla, WA | $56,804 | $33,313 | $13,567 | 38.2% |
| A private nonprofit university in Walla Walla, Whitman College reports an admission rate of 38% and median earnings of $56,804 four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | The Evergreen State College · Olympia, WA | $44,424 | $24,319 | $22,079 | 96.4% |
| The Evergreen State College admits 96% of applicants and has an average net price of $22,079 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 8 | Seattle University · Seattle, WA | $79,426 | $34,662 | $22,896 | 76.9% |
| Seattle University reports median earnings of $79,426 for its graduates four years after completing and ranks 8th on this list. | |||||
| 9 | Gonzaga University · Spokane, WA | $80,896 | $35,119 | $20,833 | 81.7% |
| Gonzaga University reports a six-year completion rate of 86% and an average net price of $35,119. | |||||
| 10 | University of Puget Sound · Tacoma, WA | $59,684 | $38,394 | $23,643 | 72.3% |
| University of Puget Sound admits 72% of applicants and posts median earnings of $59,684 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | Saint Martin's University · Lacey, WA | $71,704 | $28,119 | $22,810 | 89.8% |
| Saint Martin's University ranks 720th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows a six-year completion rate of 52%. | |||||
| 12 | Whitworth University · Spokane, WA | $61,291 | $26,534 | $16,788 | 89.8% |
| Whitworth University reports median earnings of $61,291 for its graduates four years after completing and has an average net price of $16,788 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 13 | Pacific Lutheran University · Tacoma, WA | $63,671 | $19,589 | $13,609 | 78.0% |
| Pacific Lutheran University reports median earnings of $63,671 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $13,609 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 14 | Seattle Pacific University · Seattle, WA | $70,115 | $24,488 | $20,735 | 83.4% |
| Seattle Pacific University admits 83% of applicants and shows a six-year completion rate of 62%. | |||||
| 15 | Walla Walla University · College Place, WA | $68,868 | $23,329 | $18,675 | Not reported |
| Graduates of Walla Walla University earn a median of $68,868 four years after completing, and the school's six-year completion rate stands at 60%. | |||||
| 16 | Heritage University · Toppenish, WA | $62,898 | $14,598 | $15,114 | Not reported |
| Heritage University ranks 217th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and carries an average net price of $14,598. | |||||
| 17 | Bastyr University · Kenmore, WA | $46,794 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| Bastyr University ranks 17th on this list and posts median earnings of $46,794 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 18 | Northwest University · Kirkland, WA | $58,404 | $22,288 | $17,996 | 83.2% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 71%, Northwest University reports an average net price of $17,996 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 19 | City University of Seattle · Seattle, WA | $83,698 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| City University of Seattle reports median earnings of $83,698 for its graduates four years after completing, and ranks 735th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by Azimuth's mobility pillar for Washington, highest first. The pillar measures historical low-income earnings relative to peers, the scale of Pell enrollment and Pell completion, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The pillar draws on the median earnings of federally aided completers four years after completing, across all fields, for those working and not enrolled. It does not measure earnings in any one major or teaching quality. The list includes 6 public and 13 private nonprofit institutions.