39 Best colleges for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences 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 Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. A graph of 11.7M citations received by 265K 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: 39%
Receiving Aid: 56%
Average Aid: $16,156
Enrollment: 56,997

2. Washington State University

Pullman

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#104 in the United States

#123 in North America

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

3. Seattle University

Seattle

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#130 in the United States

#152 in North America

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

4. Western Washington University

Bellingham

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#253 in the United States

#286 in North America

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

5. University of Puget Sound

Tacoma

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#352 in the United States

#395 in North America

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

6. Central Washington University

Ellensburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#466 in the United States

#517 in North America

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

7. Gonzaga University

Spokane

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#482 in the United States

#534 in North America

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

8. Eastern Washington University

Cheney

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#534 in the United States

#589 in North America

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

9. Seattle Pacific University

Seattle

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#575 in the United States

#631 in North America

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

10. Whitman College

Walla Walla

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#599 in the United States

#656 in North America

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

11. Pacific Lutheran University

Tacoma

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#614 in the United States

#674 in North America

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

12. Peninsula College

Port Angeles

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#633 in the United States

#695 in North America

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

13. City University of Seattle

Seattle

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#684 in the United States

#750 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

#714 in the United States

#780 in North America

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

15. Evergreen State College

Olympia

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#734 in the United States

#801 in North America

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

16. Saint Martin's University

Lacey

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#790 in the United States

#859 in North America

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

17. Whitworth University

Spokane

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#904 in the United States

#976 in North America

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

18. Bellevue College

Bellevue

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1015 in the United States

#1091 in North America

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

19. North Seattle College

Seattle

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1038 in the United States

#1114 in North America

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

20. Bastyr University

Kenmore

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1170 in the United States

#1248 in North America

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

21. Heritage University

Toppenish

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1207 in the United States

#1285 in North America

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

22. Edmonds Community College

Lynnwood

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1400 in the United States

#1483 in North America

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

23. DigiPen Institute of Technology

Redmond

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1414 in the United States

#1498 in North America

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

24. Yakima Valley College

Yakima

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1443 in the United States

#1529 in North America

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

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: $25,505
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $20,458

26. Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences

Yakima

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1478 in the United States

#1565 in North America

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

27. Tacoma Community College

Tacoma

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1515 in the United States

#1603 in North America

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

28. Renton Technical College

Renton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1534 in the United States

#1623 in North America

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

29. Clark College

Vancouver

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1567 in the United States

#1657 in North America

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

30. Columbia Basin College

Pasco

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1588 in the United States

#1678 in North America

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

31. Whatcom Community College

Bellingham

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1597 in the United States

#1687 in North America

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

32. Highline College

Des Moines

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1623 in the United States

#1713 in North America

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

33. Wenatchee Valley College

Wenatchee

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1642 in the United States

#1733 in North America

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

34. Cornish College of the Arts

Seattle

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1654 in the United States

#1745 in North America

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

35. Seattle Central College

Seattle

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1673 in the United States

#1764 in North America

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

36. Green River College

Auburn

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1686 in the United States

#1777 in North America

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

37. Olympic College

Bremerton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1701 in the United States

#1792 in North America

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

38. Northwest Indian College

Bellingham

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1710 in the United States

#1801 in North America

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

39. Centralia College

Centralia

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1754 in the United States

#1845 in North America

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

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	21	96
Idaho	7	193
Montana	9	166
Nevada	8	149
Utah	11	45
California	147	2
North Dakota	9	216
Colorado	24	52
South Dakota	12	331
Arizona	10	29
Nebraska	15	87
New Mexico	9	100
Minnesota	30	18
Kansas	22	74
Iowa	32	44
Oklahoma	22	103
Wisconsin	36	14
Missouri	44	40
Texas	89	21
Alaska	4	233
Illinois	79	12
Michigan	47	3
Arkansas	18	146
Indiana	38	39
Mississippi	15	177
Louisiana	27	79
Kentucky	29	60
Tennessee	39	46
Ohio	67	19
Alabama	30	82
West Virginia	20	120
Pennsylvania	114	9
Georgia	52	42
Virginia	42	37
New York	146	6
North Carolina	50	20
District of Columbia	13	48
South Carolina	32	68
Maryland	28	8
Vermont	12	124
Delaware	4	97
New Jersey	29	22
New Hampshire	13	84
Connecticut	22	10
Massachusetts	75	1
Rhode Island	9	56
Maine	16	199
Florida	70	31
Hawaii	7	106
Puerto Rico	15	414