32 Best Political Science schools in Washington, US

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Washington ranked based on their research performance in Political Science. A graph of 5.07M citations received by 130K academic papers made by 32 universities in Washington was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Washington - Seattle

Seattle

For Political Science

#6 in the United States

#7 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Receiving Aid: 56%
Average Aid: $16,156
Enrollment: 56,997

2. Washington State University

Pullman

For Political Science

#115 in the United States

#134 in North America

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

3. Seattle University

Seattle

For Political Science

#136 in the United States

#159 in North America

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

4. Western Washington University

Bellingham

For Political Science

#255 in the United States

#287 in North America

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

5. University of Puget Sound

Tacoma

For Political Science

#346 in the United States

#390 in North America

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

6. Central Washington University

Ellensburg

For Political Science

#466 in the United States

#515 in North America

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

7. Eastern Washington University

Cheney

For Political Science

#488 in the United States

#539 in North America

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

8. Gonzaga University

Spokane

For Political Science

#507 in the United States

#561 in North America

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

9. Seattle Pacific University

Seattle

For Political Science

#554 in the United States

#610 in North America

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

10. Pacific Lutheran University

Tacoma

For Political Science

#601 in the United States

#659 in North America

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

11. Whitman College

Walla Walla

For Political Science

#636 in the United States

#699 in North America

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

12. City University of Seattle

Seattle

For Political Science

#648 in the United States

#711 in North America

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

13. Peninsula College

Port Angeles

For Political Science

#665 in the United States

#729 in North America

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

14. Evergreen State College

Olympia

For Political Science

#684 in the United States

#748 in North America

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

15. Northwest University

Kirkland

For Political Science

#728 in the United States

#795 in North America

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

16. Saint Martin's University

Lacey

For Political Science

#780 in the United States

#850 in North America

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

17. Whitworth University

Spokane

For Political Science

#922 in the United States

#994 in North America

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

18. Bellevue College

Bellevue

For Political Science

#1034 in the United States

#1110 in North America

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

19. North Seattle College

Seattle

For Political Science

#1160 in the United States

#1237 in North America

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

20. Bastyr University

Kenmore

For Political Science

#1187 in the United States

#1264 in North America

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

21. Tacoma Community College

Tacoma

For Political Science

#1356 in the United States

#1437 in North America

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

22. Heritage University

Toppenish

For Political Science

#1361 in the United States

#1442 in North America

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

23. Edmonds Community College

Lynnwood

For Political Science

#1385 in the United States

#1467 in North America

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

24. Yakima Valley College

Yakima

For Political Science

#1386 in the United States

#1468 in North America

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

25. Walla Walla University

College Place

For Political Science

#1489 in the United States

#1577 in North America

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

26. Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences

Yakima

For Political Science

#1491 in the United States

#1579 in North America

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

27. Highline College

Des Moines

For Political Science

#1534 in the United States

#1623 in North America

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

28. Columbia Basin College

Pasco

For Political Science

#1539 in the United States

#1628 in North America

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

29. Whatcom Community College

Bellingham

For Political Science

#1547 in the United States

#1636 in North America

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

30. Wenatchee Valley College

Wenatchee

For Political Science

#1570 in the United States

#1659 in North America

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

31. Renton Technical College

Renton

For Political Science

#1576 in the United States

#1665 in North America

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

32. Clark College

Vancouver

For Political Science

#1608 in the United States

#1697 in North America

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

Closest to Washington states to learn Political Science

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	19	106
Idaho	7	240
Montana	8	202
Nevada	6	133
Utah	11	50
California	133	3
North Dakota	8	229
Colorado	22	57
South Dakota	9	338
Arizona	10	24
Nebraska	13	83
New Mexico	8	105
Minnesota	29	18
Kansas	17	68
Iowa	31	49
Oklahoma	20	92
Wisconsin	34	16
Missouri	40	43
Texas	82	22
Alaska	4	331
Illinois	78	9
Michigan	43	2
Arkansas	17	130
Indiana	35	39
Mississippi	14	178
Louisiana	26	84
Kentucky	28	63
Tennessee	37	46
Ohio	63	19
Alabama	26	97
West Virginia	17	123
Pennsylvania	101	8
Georgia	50	45
Virginia	42	32
New York	139	5
North Carolina	47	20
District of Columbia	12	41
South Carolina	31	61
Maryland	28	13
Vermont	11	129
Delaware	4	86
New Jersey	28	21
New Hampshire	12	75
Connecticut	21	7
Massachusetts	71	1
Rhode Island	9	66
Maine	14	227
Florida	64	34
Hawaii	7	113
Puerto Rico	13	527