College Trends

Public universities in Washington

The College Scorecard lists 8 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in Washington, all compared on this page. Together they enroll 92,442 undergraduate degree-seeking students. The median average net price is $13,733 a year, about the same as the $14,226 median for public universities nationwide. Former students' median earnings 10 years after starting college are $64,942 at the median institution, higher than the $58,635 median for public universities nationwide. The median graduation rate is 60.6%.

Open in the dashboardSource: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Schools
8
UndergraduatesiUndergraduate degree-seeking enrollment.
92,442
Median net priceiAverage yearly cost for full-time, first-time undergraduates who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. The figure here is the median across schools.
$13,733
U.S.: $14,226
Median earnings, 10 yrsiMedian earnings of former students who received federal aid, 10 years after they started college, among those working and not enrolled. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$64,942
U.S.: $58,635
Median debtiMedian federal student-loan balance of graduates. Excludes Parent PLUS and private loans. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$18,250
U.S.: $19,500
Median grad rateiShare of full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time (6 years for a 4-year degree, 3 years for a 2-year degree). The figure here is the median across schools.
60.6%
U.S.: 51.6%

Compare all public universities in Washington on one chart

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Each dot is one school. Dashed lines mark the median for Washington. Showing 8 of 8 public universities in Washington; schools missing either value are left out.

All 8 public universities in Washington

University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Seattle
31,942$13,663$13,406$44,640$83,105$14,00885.3%94.7%39.1%
Washington State University
Pullman
21,099$13,462$13,888$30,994$72,280$18,50062.8%78.3%86.6%
Western Washington University
Bellingham
13,544$19,963$9,924$29,091$64,305$16,50060.8%79.4%93.3%
Central Washington University
Ellensburg
7,833$21,201$9,655$28,362$65,578$19,17051.0%70.0%90.6%
Eastern Washington University
Cheney
6,222$13,647$8,886$26,073$62,463$18,00043.2%67.4%90.8%
University of Washington-Bothell Campus
Bothell
5,457$13,802$13,472$44,706$83,105$14,00868.1%85.8%90.6%
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
Tacoma
4,185$11,900$13,577$44,811$83,105$14,00860.5%80.0%82.5%
The Evergreen State College
Olympia
2,160$25,154$9,537$32,925$48,982$19,50037.9%69.9%96.4%
Showing 8 of 8. Starts sorted by undergraduate enrollment; select a column to sort.

Quick facts: public universities in Washington

How many public universities are in Washington?
The College Scorecard lists 8 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in Washington.
What do public universities in Washington cost?
Across the 8 schools that report it, the median average net price is $13,733 a year. Net price is what full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid pay after grants and scholarships. Reported net prices range from $11,900 at University of Washington-Tacoma Campus to $25,154 at The Evergreen State College.
Which public universities in Washington have the lowest average net price?
By reported average net price: University of Washington-Tacoma Campus ($11,900), Washington State University ($13,462), Eastern Washington University ($13,647), University of Washington-Seattle Campus ($13,663), and University of Washington-Bothell Campus ($13,802).
How much is in-state and out-of-state tuition at public universities in Washington?
The median published in-state tuition is $11,665 a year, and the median out-of-state tuition is $31,960. Many students pay less than published tuition after aid.
How much do former students of public universities in Washington earn?
At the median institution, former students who received federal aid earn $64,942 10 years after starting college (6 institutions reporting; branch campuses share one figure and count once). The highest reported medians are at University of Washington-Seattle Campus ($83,105), Washington State University ($72,280), and Central Washington University ($65,578).
What is the graduation rate at public universities in Washington?
The median graduation rate is 60.6%, across 8 schools reporting. It counts full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time.
How much student debt do graduates of public universities in Washington have?
The median institution's graduates leave with $18,250 in federal student loans (the median balance). Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.

Keep comparing

Other college types in Washington

Public universities in other states

How these numbers work

This page includes public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher, as reported in the College Scorecard. Summary figures are medians across schools: each school counts once, whatever its size, and schools that don't report a measure are left out of that measure. The Scorecard reports earnings and debt for a whole institution, so branch campuses share one figure; for those two measures each institution counts once. Most recent data year: cost 2025, graduation and retention 2025, earnings 2022, debt 2024. More on the data.