39 Best colleges for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences in Washington, US

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Washington ranked based on their research performance in Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. A graph of 11.2M citations received by 258K academic papers made by 39 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 Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#5 in the United States

#6 in North America

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

2. Washington State University

Pullman

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#103 in the United States

#122 in North America

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

3. Seattle University

Seattle

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#130 in the United States

#152 in North America

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

4. Western Washington University

Bellingham

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#254 in the United States

#287 in North America

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

5. University of Puget Sound

Tacoma

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#348 in the United States

#389 in North America

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

6. Central Washington University

Ellensburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#466 in the United States

#517 in North America

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

7. Gonzaga University

Spokane

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#486 in the United States

#537 in North America

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

8. Eastern Washington University

Cheney

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#529 in the United States

#583 in North America

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

9. Seattle Pacific University

Seattle

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#576 in the United States

#632 in North America

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

10. Whitman College

Walla Walla

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#601 in the United States

#657 in North America

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

11. Pacific Lutheran University

Tacoma

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#614 in the United States

#671 in North America

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

12. Peninsula College

Port Angeles

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#631 in the United States

#692 in North America

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

13. City University of Seattle

Seattle

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#683 in the United States

#749 in North America

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

14. Northwest University

Kirkland

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#712 in the United States

#778 in North America

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

15. Evergreen State College

Olympia

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#729 in the United States

#795 in North America

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

16. Saint Martin's University

Lacey

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#806 in the United States

#875 in North America

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

17. Whitworth University

Spokane

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#915 in the United States

#987 in North America

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

18. Bellevue College

Bellevue

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1019 in the United States

#1095 in North America

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

19. North Seattle College

Seattle

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1031 in the United States

#1107 in North America

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

20. Bastyr University

Kenmore

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1165 in the United States

#1243 in North America

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

21. Heritage University

Toppenish

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1197 in the United States

#1275 in North America

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

22. Edmonds Community College

Lynnwood

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1401 in the United States

#1484 in North America

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

23. DigiPen Institute of Technology

Redmond

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1414 in the United States

#1498 in North America

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

24. Yakima Valley College

Yakima

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1438 in the United States

#1523 in North America

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

25. Walla Walla University

College Place

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1451 in the United States

#1537 in North America

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

26. Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences

Yakima

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1490 in the United States

#1577 in North America

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

27. Tacoma Community College

Tacoma

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1508 in the United States

#1595 in North America

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

28. Renton Technical College

Renton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1538 in the United States

#1626 in North America

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

29. Clark College

Vancouver

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1566 in the United States

#1655 in North America

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

30. Columbia Basin College

Pasco

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1583 in the United States

#1673 in North America

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

31. Whatcom Community College

Bellingham

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1593 in the United States

#1683 in North America

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

32. Highline College

Des Moines

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1621 in the United States

#1711 in North America

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

33. Wenatchee Valley College

Wenatchee

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1638 in the United States

#1729 in North America

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

34. Cornish College of the Arts

Seattle

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1655 in the United States

#1746 in North America

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

35. Seattle Central College

Seattle

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1664 in the United States

#1755 in North America

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

36. Green River College

Auburn

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1680 in the United States

#1771 in North America

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

37. Olympic College

Bremerton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1697 in the United States

#1788 in North America

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

38. Northwest Indian College

Bellingham

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1709 in the United States

#1800 in North America

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

39. Centralia College

Centralia

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1751 in the United States

#1842 in North America

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

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	21	97
Idaho	7	194
Montana	9	166
Nevada	8	152
Utah	11	45
California	146	2
North Dakota	9	215
Colorado	24	52
South Dakota	11	330
Arizona	10	30
Nebraska	15	87
New Mexico	9	100
Minnesota	30	18
Kansas	22	74
Iowa	32	44
Oklahoma	22	104
Wisconsin	36	14
Missouri	44	40
Texas	89	21
Alaska	4	233
Illinois	79	12
Michigan	47	4
Arkansas	18	146
Indiana	38	39
Mississippi	15	178
Louisiana	27	79
Kentucky	29	59
Tennessee	39	46
Ohio	67	19
Alabama	29	84
West Virginia	21	119
Pennsylvania	114	8
Georgia	52	42
Virginia	42	37
New York	146	6
North Carolina	50	20
District of Columbia	13	50
South Carolina	32	69
Maryland	28	10
Vermont	12	122
Delaware	4	96
New Jersey	29	22
New Hampshire	13	82
Connecticut	22	9
Massachusetts	75	1
Rhode Island	9	56
Maine	16	200
Florida	70	31
Hawaii	7	107
Puerto Rico	15	415