Best Engineering Colleges in Washington (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 8 Engineering programs in Washington by median earnings of Engineering graduates four years after completing. University of Washington-Seattle Campus reports $109,269 in median earnings for its Engineering graduates four years after completing.
Across the 6 schools with a published figure, median earnings range from $109,269 to $85,541, and the median stands at $91,454. The spread between the highest and lowest figures on the list is $23,728.
The list splits evenly between 4 public and 4 private nonprofit institutions in Washington. University of Washington-Seattle Campus ranks 72nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Eastern Washington University posts the lowest average net price on the list at $13,886.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Engineering Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $109,269 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 39.2% |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus reports median earnings of $109,269 for its Engineering graduates four years after completing, the top figure here, and holds an Azimuth composite rank of 72nd among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (226 graduates), Mechanical Engineering (119 graduates), Civil Engineering (118 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Engineering ($169,570), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($116,010), Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering ($111,349) | |||||
| 2 | Washington State University · Pullman, WA | No published median | $14,971 | $7,074 | 86.6% |
| Washington State University ranks 2nd on this list, admits 87% of applicants, and posts a six-year completion rate of 60%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (265 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (110 graduates), Civil Engineering (101 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Engineering ($114,635), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($104,354), Chemical Engineering ($99,506) | |||||
| 3 | Seattle University · Seattle, WA | $94,005 | $34,662 | $22,896 | 76.9% |
| A private nonprofit university in Seattle, Seattle University shows median earnings of $94,005 for its Engineering graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $34,662. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (44 graduates), Civil Engineering (26 graduates), Computer Engineering (14 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($111,410), Mechanical Engineering ($96,218) | |||||
| 4 | Gonzaga University · Spokane, WA | $93,936 | $35,119 | $20,833 | 81.7% |
| Gonzaga University posts a six-year completion rate of 86% and reports median earnings of $93,936 for its Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (55 graduates), Civil Engineering (34 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (20 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($106,155), Mechanical Engineering ($93,816), Civil Engineering ($86,942) | |||||
| 5 | Western Washington University · Bellingham, WA | $88,973 | $21,193 | $12,915 | 93.3% |
| With an admission rate of 93%, Western Washington University is the most open on this list and reports an average net price of $12,915 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Electrical and Computer Engineering (32 graduates), Polymer/Plastics Engineering (19 graduates), Manufacturing Engineering (18 graduates) | |||||
| 6 | Saint Martin's University · Lacey, WA | $88,966 | $28,119 | $22,810 | 89.8% |
| Saint Martin's University ranks 6th on this list, with median earnings of $88,966 for its Engineering graduates four years after completing and a six-year completion rate of 52%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (22 graduates), Civil Engineering (20 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Mechanical Engineering ($92,321), Civil Engineering ($85,276) | |||||
| 7 | Eastern Washington University · Cheney, WA | $85,541 | $13,886 | $9,547 | 90.8% |
| Eastern Washington University carries the lowest average net price on the page at $13,886, and its Engineering graduates earn a median of $85,541 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (50 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (39 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($85,599), Mechanical Engineering ($85,495) | |||||
| 8 | Seattle Pacific University · Seattle, WA | No published median | $24,488 | $20,735 | 83.4% |
| Seattle Pacific University ranks 8th on this list, admits 83% of applicants, and posts an Azimuth composite rank of 809th among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (22 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (8 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Engineering earnings cohort in Washington appear. The figure reflects federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after completing their Engineering program. It does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost of attendance, or the characteristics of the students who enroll, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 6 schools with a published figure. The spread from University of Washington-Seattle Campus to the bottom of the list is $23,728.
Job market context in Washington
Engineering graduates in Washington enter a labor market linked to occupations such as Civil Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, and Electrical Engineers. The median annual wage across those occupations is $117,769, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $97,670. State projections show about 5,530 openings a year, or about 255 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 6.1% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing; the market figures describe the broader occupations, and the two are not the same measure.