List of 57 best universities in Washington, US

Updated: March 15, 2026

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 29.8M citations received by 636K academic publications made by 57 universities from Washington, the popularity of 1,681 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: 39%
Receiving Aid: 56%
Average Aid: $16,156
Enrollment: 56,997

2. Washington State University

Pullman

#76 in the United States

#86 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $10,886
Enrollment: 25,685

3. Seattle University

Seattle

#167 in the United States

#191 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1315
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $36,948

4. Western Washington University

Bellingham

#259 in the United States

#290 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 1270
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 95%

5. University of Puget Sound

Tacoma

#377 in the United States

#423 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1275
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $43,188

6. Gonzaga University

Spokane

#406 in the United States

#452 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1285
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $40,117

7. Central Washington University

Ellensburg

#431 in the United States

#478 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 90%
Average Aid: $8,816
Enrollment: 10,811

8. Eastern Washington University

Cheney

#457 in the United States

#505 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $10,001
Enrollment: 10,492

9. Whitman College

Walla Walla

#470 in the United States

#519 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $37,633

10. Evergreen State College

Olympia

#550 in the United States

#605 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average SAT: 1144
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 93%

11. Seattle Pacific University

Seattle

#554 in the United States

#609 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Net Price: $25,232
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $31,558

12. Pacific Lutheran University

Tacoma

#592 in the United States

#649 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1150
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $22,299

13. Bellevue College

Bellevue

#723 in the United States

#790 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 41%
Average Aid: $6,650
Enrollment: 12,485

14. Northwest University

Kirkland

#743 in the United States

#811 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1195
Net Price: $24,251
Receiving Aid: 100%

15. Bastyr University

Kenmore

#800 in the United States

#868 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Enrollment: 734
Male:Female: 12:88
Founded: 1978

16. City University of Seattle

Seattle

#877 in the United States

#947 in North America

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

17. Whitworth University

Spokane

#885 in the United States

#955 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1210
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $27,605

18. DigiPen Institute of Technology

Redmond

#1036 in the United States

#1110 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1275
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $41,779

19. Saint Martin's University

Lacey

#1134 in the United States

#1209 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1128
Average ACT: 18
Net Price: $29,116

20. Seattle Central College

Seattle

#1198 in the United States

#1275 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 72%
Average Aid: $6,805
Enrollment: 5,396

21. Walla Walla University

College Place

#1204 in the United States

#1281 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $25,505
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $20,458

22. Clark College

Vancouver

#1238 in the United States

#1316 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 73%
Average Aid: $6,632
Enrollment: 7,463

23. North Seattle College

Seattle

#1245 in the United States

#1323 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 76%
Average Aid: $6,915
Enrollment: 5,569

24. Highline College

Des Moines

#1258 in the United States

#1336 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 69%
Average Aid: $7,026
Enrollment: 5,592

25. Peninsula College

Port Angeles

#1303 in the United States

#1381 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $7,157
Enrollment: 2,153

26. Yakima Valley College

Yakima

#1310 in the United States

#1388 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $7,971
Enrollment: 3,809

27. Heritage University

Toppenish

#1364 in the United States

#1444 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $15,563
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $15,642

28. Edmonds Community College

Lynnwood

#1385 in the United States

#1467 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 62%
Average Aid: $6,855
Enrollment: 6,549

29. Cornish College of the Arts

Seattle

#1392 in the United States

#1474 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Net Price: $41,758
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $18,515

30. Wenatchee Valley College

Wenatchee

#1408 in the United States

#1492 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 81%
Average Aid: $9,031
Enrollment: 3,067

31. Tacoma Community College

Tacoma

#1441 in the United States

#1526 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $7,308
Enrollment: 6,199

32. Green River College

Auburn

#1451 in the United States

#1536 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $7,198
Enrollment: 7,967

33. Columbia Basin College

Pasco

#1462 in the United States

#1548 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 79%
Average Aid: $7,367
Enrollment: 7,510

34. Olympic College

Bremerton

#1518 in the United States

#1604 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $7,007
Enrollment: 5,784

35. Renton Technical College

Renton

#1613 in the United States

#1700 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 77%
Average Aid: $7,560
Enrollment: 2,824

36. Whatcom Community College

Bellingham

#1653 in the United States

#1740 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 62%
Average Aid: $6,129
Enrollment: 3,674

37. Northwest Indian College

Bellingham

#1655 in the United States

#1742 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $6,855
Enrollment: 636

38. Skagit Valley College

Mount Vernon

#1660 in the United States

#1747 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 68%
Average Aid: $6,632
Enrollment: 4,028

39. Centralia College

Centralia

#1664 in the United States

#1752 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $6,228
Enrollment: 2,244

40. Spokane Falls Community College

Spokane

#1684 in the United States

#1772 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 63%
Average Aid: $6,785
Enrollment: 4,319

41. Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences

Yakima

#1686 in the United States

#1774 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 665
Male:Female: 44:56

42. Grays Harbor College

Aberdeen

#1695 in the United States

#1783 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $7,224
Enrollment: 1,577

43. Lake Washington Institute of Technology

Kirkland

#1746 in the United States

#1835 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 46%
Average Aid: $6,880
Enrollment: 3,564

44. South Seattle College

Seattle

#1789 in the United States

#1878 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 81%
Average Aid: $7,483
Enrollment: 5,210

45. Clover Park Technical College

Lakewood

#1856 in the United States

#1947 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 59%
Average Aid: $7,877
Enrollment: 3,408

46. Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine

Seattle

#1904 in the United States

#1996 in North America

Enrollment: 50
Male:Female: 22:78

47. University of Washington - Bothell

Bothell

#1991 in the United States

#2084 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 55%
Average Aid: $16,272
Enrollment: 6,058

48. University of Washington - Tacoma

Tacoma

#2039 in the United States

#2132 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $12,161
Enrollment: 4,965

49. Cascadia College

Bothell

#2072 in the United States

#2167 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 43%
Average Aid: $8,505
Enrollment: 2,380

50. Seattle School of Theology & Psychology

Seattle

#2083 in the United States

#2179 in North America

Enrollment: 243
Male:Female: 25:75

51. Bellingham Technical College

Bellingham

#2098 in the United States

#2195 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 63%
Average Aid: $8,030
Enrollment: 2,047

52. Spokane Community College

Spokane

#2111 in the United States

#2208 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 75%
Average Aid: $7,655
Enrollment: 6,813

53. Charter College

Vancouver

#2114 in the United States

#2211 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $33,641
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $7,722

54. Northwest College of Art & Design

Poulsbo

#2118 in the United States

#2215 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Net Price: $14,818
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $14,406

55. Faith International University

Tacoma

#2138 in the United States

#2235 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $25,165
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $6,203

56. Seattle Film Institute

Seattle

#2291 in the United States

#2392 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $41,595
Receiving Aid: 78%
Average Aid: $13,901

57. Pierce College - Fort Steilacoom

Lakewood

#2471 in the United States

#2572 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 57%
Average Aid: $6,785
Enrollment: 8,137

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	31	61
Idaho	10	146
Montana	12	153
Nevada	10	131
Wyoming	1	142
Utah	20	41
California	249	2
North Dakota	14	180
Colorado	38	45
South Dakota	15	223
Arizona	25	35
Nebraska	23	64
New Mexico	12	83
Minnesota	48	14
Kansas	32	73
Iowa	39	49
Oklahoma	31	97
Wisconsin	47	13
Missouri	67	39
Texas	119	26
Alaska	6	182
Illinois	100	15
Michigan	62	3
Arkansas	24	128
Indiana	55	34
Mississippi	18	132
Louisiana	27	79
Kentucky	38	59
Tennessee	56	48
Ohio	90	18
Alabama	33	85
West Virginia	26	108
Pennsylvania	155	12
Georgia	63	47
Virginia	63	40
New York	221	4
North Carolina	65	24
District of Columbia	15	51
South Carolina	37	88
Maryland	34	9
Vermont	17	114
Delaware	5	90
New Jersey	47	21
New Hampshire	16	74
Connecticut	28	10
Massachusetts	88	1
Rhode Island	12	50
Maine	19	155
Florida	109	23
Hawaii	10	357
Puerto Rico	52	366
US Virgin Islands	1	789
American Samoa	1	1625
Northern Mariana Islands	1	1521
Guam	2	623

Closest to Washington states