Best Colleges in Washington (2026)
Updated
Best Colleges in Washington ranks 19 four-year institutions in Washington. Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for Washington, highest first.
The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. University of Washington-Seattle Campus ranks 1st on this list and reports median earnings of $82,515 for its graduates four years after completing.
The list includes 6 public and 13 private nonprofit schools. Eastern Washington University posts the lowest average net price at $13,886, and Gonzaga University records the highest six-year completion rate at 86%.
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.
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 reports median earnings of $82,515 for its graduates four years after completing, and ranks 72nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 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 | Heritage University · Toppenish, WA | $62,898 | $14,598 | $15,114 | Not reported |
| Heritage University, a private nonprofit university in Toppenish, has an average net price of $14,598 and graduates 54% of its students within six years. | |||||
| 4 | Eastern Washington University · Cheney, WA | $60,781 | $13,886 | $9,547 | 90.8% |
| Eastern Washington University carries an average net price of $13,886, the lowest on this list, and reports median earnings of $60,781 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | Central Washington University · Ellensburg, WA | $63,444 | $18,476 | $11,846 | 90.6% |
| Central Washington University ranks 5th on this list and posts a six-year completion rate of 54%. | |||||
| 6 | Western Washington University · Bellingham, WA | $58,560 | $21,193 | $12,915 | 93.3% |
| Western Washington University shows an average net price of $12,915 for families earning under $30,000, alongside a six-year completion rate of 65%. | |||||
| 7 | 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 admits 77% of applicants. | |||||
| 8 | Pacific Lutheran University · Tacoma, WA | $63,671 | $19,589 | $13,609 | 78.0% |
| Pacific Lutheran University has an average net price of $19,589 and a six-year completion rate of 69%. | |||||
| 9 | Saint Martin's University · Lacey, WA | $71,704 | $28,119 | $22,810 | 89.8% |
| Saint Martin's University admits 90% of applicants and reports median earnings of $71,704 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | 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. | |||||
| 11 | Seattle Pacific University · Seattle, WA | $70,115 | $24,488 | $20,735 | 83.4% |
| Seattle Pacific University shows an average net price of $20,735 for families earning under $30,000, and admits 83% of applicants. | |||||
| 12 | Gonzaga University · Spokane, WA | $80,896 | $35,119 | $20,833 | 81.7% |
| Gonzaga University graduates 86% within six years and reports median earnings of $80,896 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 13 | Walla Walla University · College Place, WA | $68,868 | $23,329 | $18,675 | Not reported |
| Walla Walla University reports median earnings of $68,868 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 60%. | |||||
| 14 | Whitman College · Walla Walla, WA | $56,804 | $33,313 | $13,567 | 38.2% |
| An average net price of $13,567 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with a six-year completion rate of 81% at Whitman College. | |||||
| 15 | Whitworth University · Spokane, WA | $61,291 | $26,534 | $16,788 | 89.8% |
| Whitworth University admits 90% of applicants, and its graduates earn a median of $61,291 four years after completing. | |||||
| 16 | The Evergreen State College · Olympia, WA | $44,424 | $24,319 | $22,079 | 96.4% |
| The Evergreen State College ranks 16th on this list and posts a six-year completion rate of 41%. | |||||
| 17 | Northwest University · Kirkland, WA | $58,404 | $22,288 | $17,996 | 83.2% |
| A private nonprofit university in Kirkland, Northwest University admits 83% of applicants and reports an average net price of $22,288. | |||||
| 18 | University of Puget Sound · Tacoma, WA | $59,684 | $38,394 | $23,643 | 72.3% |
| Graduates of University of Puget Sound earn a median of $59,684 four years after completing, and the school admits 72% of applicants. | |||||
| 19 | Bastyr University · Kenmore, WA | $46,794 | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| Bastyr University reports median earnings of $46,794 for its graduates four years after completing and holds an Azimuth composite rank of 1452nd among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for Washington, highest first. The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The earnings figures cited for each school are the median earnings of its federally aided completers, across all fields, who were working and not enrolled four years after completing. The list does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The figures cited on this page cover the 19 schools with a reported completion median. The list includes 6 public and 13 private nonprofit institutions.