List of 57 best universities in Washington, US

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Top 57 universities in Washington ranked by EduRank based on research outputs, non-academic prominence, and alumni influence. The rankings are determined by analyzing 28.5M citations received by 619K academic publications made by 57 universities from Washington, the popularity of 1,592 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. University of Washington - Seattle

Seattle

#8 in the United States

#8 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Receiving Aid: 55%
Average Aid: $14,390
Enrollment: 55,620

2. Washington State University

Pullman

#73 in the United States

#83 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $10,370
Enrollment: 26,490

3. Seattle University

Seattle

#166 in the United States

#191 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $37,103

4. Western Washington University

Bellingham

#255 in the United States

#286 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 95%

5. University of Puget Sound

Tacoma

#352 in the United States

#391 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1288
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $42,301

6. Gonzaga University

Spokane

#406 in the United States

#452 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1315
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $40,295

7. Central Washington University

Ellensburg

#425 in the United States

#471 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Receiving Aid: 92%
Average Aid: $8,970
Enrollment: 8,796

8. Whitman College

Walla Walla

#476 in the United States

#524 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $41,601

9. Eastern Washington University

Cheney

#480 in the United States

#528 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $8,756
Enrollment: 10,741

10. Seattle Pacific University

Seattle

#550 in the United States

#603 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $26,155

11. Evergreen State College

Olympia

#572 in the United States

#627 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 88%

12. Pacific Lutheran University

Tacoma

#612 in the United States

#669 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1123
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $23,841

13. Bellevue College

Bellevue

#720 in the United States

#787 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 31%
Average Aid: $7,345
Enrollment: 11,472

14. Bastyr University

Kenmore

#827 in the United States

#895 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Enrollment: 760
Male:Female: 13:87
Founded: 1978

15. Northwest University

Kirkland

#830 in the United States

#898 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1183
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $25,917

16. City University of Seattle

Seattle

#881 in the United States

#949 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $20,567
Receiving Aid: 50%
Average Aid: $7,383

17. Whitworth University

Spokane

#929 in the United States

#997 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1210
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $27,491

18. DigiPen Institute of Technology

Redmond

#1114 in the United States

#1188 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1280
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $40,015

19. Walla Walla University

College Place

#1180 in the United States

#1256 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $26,001
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $18,122

20. Clark College

Vancouver

#1184 in the United States

#1260 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $6,213
Enrollment: 7,149

21. Saint Martin's University

Lacey

#1186 in the United States

#1262 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 18
Net Price: $22,779

22. North Seattle College

Seattle

#1237 in the United States

#1313 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 76%
Average Aid: $6,365
Enrollment: 5,017

23. Seattle Central College

Seattle

#1246 in the United States

#1323 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $5,285
Enrollment: 5,210

24. Edmonds Community College

Lynnwood

#1272 in the United States

#1350 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 52%
Average Aid: $6,234
Enrollment: 6,028

25. Peninsula College

Port Angeles

#1333 in the United States

#1411 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 78%
Average Aid: $7,662
Enrollment: 1,837

26. Highline College

Des Moines

#1337 in the United States

#1415 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 51%
Average Aid: $5,944
Enrollment: 5,126

27. Tacoma Community College

Tacoma

#1430 in the United States

#1512 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 55%
Average Aid: $6,261
Enrollment: 5,771

28. Heritage University

Toppenish

#1449 in the United States

#1532 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $11,934
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $17,486

29. Cornish College of the Arts

Seattle

#1463 in the United States

#1546 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Net Price: $40,164
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $15,023

30. Yakima Valley College

Yakima

#1473 in the United States

#1556 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $6,721
Enrollment: 3,523

31. Green River College

Auburn

#1479 in the United States

#1563 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 52%
Average Aid: $6,444
Enrollment: 7,361

32. Columbia Basin College

Pasco

#1512 in the United States

#1596 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 62%
Average Aid: $6,754
Enrollment: 6,729

33. Wenatchee Valley College

Wenatchee

#1524 in the United States

#1609 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $7,998
Enrollment: 2,819

34. Olympic College

Bremerton

#1579 in the United States

#1665 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $4,333
Enrollment: 5,413

35. Spokane Falls Community College

Spokane

#1595 in the United States

#1681 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 62%
Average Aid: $5,993
Enrollment: 3,903

36. Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences

Yakima

#1674 in the United States

#1761 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 649
Male:Female: 46:54

37. Renton Technical College

Renton

#1679 in the United States

#1766 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 62%
Average Aid: $8,179
Enrollment: 3,060

38. Centralia College

Centralia

#1699 in the United States

#1786 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 64%
Average Aid: $6,048
Enrollment: 2,335

39. Skagit Valley College

Mount Vernon

#1706 in the United States

#1793 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $6,853
Enrollment: 4,098

40. Lake Washington Institute of Technology

Kirkland

#1714 in the United States

#1802 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 41%
Average Aid: $6,813
Enrollment: 3,357

41. Whatcom Community College

Bellingham

#1746 in the United States

#1834 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 57%
Average Aid: $6,199
Enrollment: 3,490

42. Grays Harbor College

Aberdeen

#1783 in the United States

#1872 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 81%
Average Aid: $8,353
Enrollment: 1,663

43. Northwest Indian College

Bellingham

#1796 in the United States

#1885 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $8,084
Enrollment: 696

44. South Seattle College

Seattle

#1836 in the United States

#1925 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $6,741
Enrollment: 5,295

45. Clover Park Technical College

Lakewood

#1889 in the United States

#1980 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 54%
Average Aid: $7,803
Enrollment: 3,040

46. Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine

Seattle

#1941 in the United States

#2033 in North America

Enrollment: 43
Male:Female: 16:84

47. Spokane Community College

Spokane

#1994 in the United States

#2087 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 74%
Average Aid: $7,495
Enrollment: 6,286

48. University of Washington - Bothell

Bothell

#2009 in the United States

#2102 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 1320
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 56%

49. University of Washington - Tacoma

Tacoma

#2044 in the United States

#2137 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Receiving Aid: 85%
Average Aid: $13,521
Enrollment: 4,777

50. Bellingham Technical College

Bellingham

#2110 in the United States

#2205 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $9,416
Enrollment: 1,850

51. Charter College

Vancouver

#2118 in the United States

#2214 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $24,795
Receiving Aid: 92%
Average Aid: $6,478

52. Cascadia College

Bothell

#2129 in the United States

#2226 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 37%
Average Aid: $6,785
Enrollment: 2,013

53. Seattle School of Theology & Psychology

Seattle

#2143 in the United States

#2240 in North America

Enrollment: 257
Male:Female: 26:74

54. Pierce College - Fort Steilacoom

Lakewood

#2154 in the United States

#2251 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 49%
Average Aid: $6,369
Enrollment: 7,427

55. Faith International University

Tacoma

#2201 in the United States

#2299 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $18,361
Receiving Aid: 75%
Average Aid: $2,432

56. Northwest College of Art & Design

Poulsbo

#2211 in the United States

#2309 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Net Price: $20,185
Receiving Aid: 85%
Average Aid: $10,032

57. Seattle Film Institute

Seattle

#2345 in the United States

#2446 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $39,215
Receiving Aid: 64%
Average Aid: $7,280

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	31	60
Idaho	10	149
Montana	12	145
Nevada	10	129
Wyoming	1	146
Utah	20	41
California	249	2
North Dakota	14	177
Colorado	38	44
South Dakota	15	232
Arizona	25	35
Nebraska	23	64
New Mexico	12	84
Minnesota	48	14
Kansas	32	74
Iowa	39	48
Oklahoma	31	99
Wisconsin	47	13
Missouri	67	39
Texas	119	26
Alaska	6	181
Illinois	100	15
Michigan	62	3
Arkansas	24	128
Indiana	55	33
Mississippi	18	132
Louisiana	27	79
Kentucky	38	63
Tennessee	56	50
Ohio	90	18
Alabama	33	87
West Virginia	26	105
Pennsylvania	155	12
Georgia	63	47
Virginia	63	40
New York	221	4
North Carolina	65	24
District of Columbia	15	55
South Carolina	37	89
Maryland	34	9
Vermont	17	111
Delaware	5	82
New Jersey	47	21
New Hampshire	16	76
Connecticut	28	10
Massachusetts	88	1
Rhode Island	12	49
Maine	19	154
Florida	109	23
Hawaii	10	159
Puerto Rico	52	367
US Virgin Islands	1	790
American Samoa	1	1689
Northern Mariana Islands	1	1585
Guam	2	601

Closest to Washington states