Best Colleges in Washington 2026

Washington has 73 colleges and universities in our database; 64 report the graduation-rate data our ranking requires. The top 25 are ranked below by a fixed four-factor formula: 6-year graduation rate (30%), median earnings 10 years after entry (30%), admission selectivity (20%), and in-state tuition affordability (20%).

Schools Ranked

$57,688

Avg. Earnings

53.7%

Avg. Graduation Rate

Top 25 Schools

College rankings
#	School	Graduation Rate	Median Earnings	Acceptance Rate	In-State Tuition
1	University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, Washington	83.7%	$78,466	47.5%	$12,643
2	Faith International University Tacoma, Washington	66.7%	$51,006		$8,850
3	University of Washington-Bothell Campus Bothell, Washington	68.2%	$78,466	88.1%	$12,559
4	University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Tacoma, Washington	62.3%	$78,466	88.4%	$12,817
5	Renton Technical College Renton, Washington	55.0%	$49,782		$6,723
6	Washington State University Pullman, Washington	61.6%	$68,905	83.1%	$12,997
7	Gonzaga University Spokane, Washington	86.9%	$78,892	69.7%	$53,500
8	Bellingham Technical College Bellingham, Washington	45.5%	$49,748		$4,226
9	Cascadia College Bothell, Washington	41.2%	$54,133		$4,914
10	Walla Walla University College Place, Washington	64.2%	$61,885		$33,027
11	Western Washington University Bellingham, Washington	65.5%	$62,569	92.7%	$9,286
12	Green River College Auburn, Washington	41.2%	$50,712		$4,580
13	Bellevue College Bellevue, Washington	33.5%	$56,310		$4,305
14	Lake Washington Institute of Technology Kirkland, Washington	39.8%	$50,669		$5,156
15	Walla Walla Community College Walla Walla, Washington	47.5%	$43,526		$6,513
16	Whitman College Walla Walla, Washington	81.0%	$67,589	47.7%	$61,492
17	Centralia College Centralia, Washington	45.8%	$43,140		$5,109
18	South Puget Sound Community College Olympia, Washington	42.0%	$45,039		$5,103
19	Highline College Des Moines, Washington	38.6%	$47,869		$4,623
20	Shoreline Community College Shoreline, Washington	32.4%	$52,009		$4,388
21	Perry Technical Institute Yakima, Washington	76.9%	$57,764
22	DigiPen Institute of Technology Redmond, Washington	51.6%	$79,878	66.4%	$37,400
23	Everett Community College Everett, Washington	38.3%	$45,434		$4,301
24	Edmonds College Lynnwood, Washington	33.2%	$48,144		$4,669
25	Clover Park Technical College Lakewood, Washington	40.7%	$41,787		$6,634