Seattle, Washington Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Seattle, Washington shows: median public in-state tuition $20,500 (+271.9% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $69,460 (+27.9% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 89.3% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $13,808 (+2.8% vs U.S.) 49,043 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 17 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 49,043 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $20,500 (+271.9% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $69,460 (+27.9% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 89.3% (+1.4 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $27,752 (+178.4% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $13,808 (+2.8% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $11,750
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 56.8%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 78.3%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Seattle, Washington—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Washington and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Seattle vs Washington & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, Washington | $20,500 | $27,752 | $13,808 | 56.8% | 49,043 |
| Washington (state median) | $5,356 | $9,863 | $13,653 | 46.4% | 226,333 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Seattle, Washington vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, Washington | $69,460 | 89.3% | 78.3% | 3.2% | — | 83.7% | 0.36 |
| Washington (state median) | $63,538 | 90.2% | 78.3% | 3.2% | — | 80.4% | 0.34 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Washington (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, Washington | $20,500 | $27,752 | $13,808 | 56.8% | 49,043 | $69,460 | 89.3% |
| Bellingham | $4,773 | $11,795 | $17,459 | 39.0% | 18,319 | $62,569 | 90.3% |
| Tacoma | $13,168 | $21,126 | $14,615 | 57.7% | 15,943 | $68,292 | 89.7% |
| Spokane | $14,784 | $21,029 | $18,149 | 50.0% | 15,383 | $68,726 | 93.9% |
| Everett | $5,032 | $12,416 | $10,417 | 36.6% | 5,881 | N/A | N/A |
| Vancouver | $8,585 | $11,465 | $10,881 | 39.0% | 5,067 | N/A | N/A |
| Yakima | $5,312 | $14,513 | $13,966 | 29.3% | 3,960 | N/A | N/A |
| Kirkland | $14,652 | $22,288 | $20,891 | 50.0% | 3,456 | $54,914 | 90.6% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Seattle, Washington
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private nonprofit | 4 | $66,983 | 88.5% | 72.4% | 3.1% | — | 77.2% |
Top 10 colleges in Seattle, Washington by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 85.2%, University of Washington-Seattle Campus
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 75.5%, Seattle University
Seattle University
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 62.0%, Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University
Top 10 colleges in Seattle, Washington by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 91.8%, Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 90.7%, Seattle University
Seattle University
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 89.3%, University of Washington-Seattle Campus
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 81.2%, City University of Seattle
City University of Seattle
Top 10 most selective colleges in Seattle, Washington (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 39.1%, University of Washington-Seattle Campus
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 76.9%, Seattle University
Seattle University
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 83.4%, Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University
Top 10 colleges in Seattle, Washington by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $141,588, University of Washington-Seattle Campus
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $102,664, Seattle University
Seattle University
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $82,557, Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University
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Rank 4, Entry-Level Earnings, $79,592, City University of Seattle
City University of Seattle
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Rank 5, Entry-Level Earnings, $27,255, Cornish College of the Arts
Cornish College of the Arts
Top 10 colleges in Seattle, Washington by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $175,616, University of Washington-Seattle Campus
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $133,039, Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $128,314, Seattle University
Seattle University
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Rank 4, Early-Career Earnings, $99,735, City University of Seattle
City University of Seattle
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Rank 5, Early-Career Earnings, $53,773, Cornish College of the Arts
Cornish College of the Arts
Top 10 colleges in Seattle, Washington by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $64,656, Seattle University
Seattle University
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $62,979, University of Washington-Seattle Campus
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $56,195, City University of Seattle
City University of Seattle
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $51,496, Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University
Top 10 colleges in Seattle, Washington by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $72,612, Seattle University
Seattle University
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $70,968, University of Washington-Seattle Campus
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $60,016, City University of Seattle
City University of Seattle
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $59,612, Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University
Top 10 colleges in Seattle, Washington by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $78,466, University of Washington-Seattle Campus
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $75,272, Seattle University
Seattle University
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $69,460, City University of Seattle
City University of Seattle
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $64,506, Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University
Top 10 colleges in Seattle, Washington by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $286,678, University of Washington-Seattle Campus
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $181,106, Seattle University
Seattle University
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $169,127, Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $133,270, City University of Seattle
City University of Seattle
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $-41,082, Cornish College of the Arts
Cornish College of the Arts
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Seattle, Washington (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $14,091, University of Washington-Seattle Campus
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
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Rank 2, Net Price, $24,488, Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University
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Rank 3, Net Price, $34,662, Seattle University
Seattle University
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Rank 4, Net Price, $40,062, Cornish College of the Arts
Cornish College of the Arts
Top 10 colleges in Seattle, Washington by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 94.7%, University of Washington-Seattle Campus
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 84.2%, Seattle University
Seattle University
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 72.4%, Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University
In-state tuition: Seattle, Washington vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Seattle, Washington median in-state tuition is $20,500, +271.9% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Seattle, Washington vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Seattle, Washington is $13,808 (+2.8% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $11,750.
Median earnings (10 years out): Seattle, Washington vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Seattle, Washington center around $69,460 (+27.9% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Seattle, Washington vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 89.3% at the median Seattle, Washington campus (+1.4 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Seattle, Washington median public in-state tuition is $20,500, about +271.9% vs the national median. Versus the Far West region, tuition is +524.2%.
Median graduate debt is $13,808 (+2.8% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Seattle, Washington are $69,460, about +27.9% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 89.3% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (+1.4 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 78.3% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 3.2% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 83.7% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Seattle Pacific University (91.8%), Seattle University (90.7%), University of Washington-Seattle Campus (89.3%), City University of Seattle (81.2%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Seattle, Washington, sector medians diverge: Private nonprofit median 10-yr earnings $66,983 (4 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Seattle, Washington is 56.8% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Seattle?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 17 campuses in Seattle, Washington with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Seattle?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Seattle is $20,500 and median net price is $27,752. For Washington overall, medians are $5,356 and $9,863; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Seattle?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Seattle is $69,460 vs $63,538 for Washington and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Seattle colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Seattle is $13,808 vs $13,653 for Washington and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Seattle?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include University of Washington-Seattle Campus (graduation) and University of Washington-Seattle Campus (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Seattle?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 17 campuses in Seattle, Washington, 1 campus with at least 25% Hispanic enrollment in College Scorecard demographics—a common Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) eligibility proxy; examples include City University of Seattle; 2 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Free Methodist (1), Roman Catholic (1).
Sources & related
- Washington college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON