Seattle University Acceptance Rate & Tuition (2026)
Seattle University is a private research university in Seattle, Washington, serving roughly 4,062 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 76.92% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $75,272 among students who received federal aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $56,721
- 2024 Average Net Price: $34,662 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 76.92% Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 4,062 97.6% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 75.51%
- Carnegie Classification: Doctoral/Professional Universities
- First-Generation Students: 19.4%
- Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 5.8% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Net price trend: Average net price increase of 3.3% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Full-Time Faculty: 67.0%
- Average SAT Score: 1307
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 4,454
- Applicants (IPEDS): 8,976
- Room & Board: $15,702 annual estimate
Seattle University: what the data shows
Common questions about Seattle University, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Seattle University?
Seattle University is located in Seattle, WA (ZIP 98122-4340).
NCES locale classification: City.
Is Seattle University public or private?
Seattle University is a Private Non-profit institution.
How much does Seattle University cost?
Published tuition: $56,721.
Average net price after aid: $34,662.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $22,896 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $24,523 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $26,977 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $36,967 |
| $110,001+ | $42,737 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $226,884.
How hard is it to get into Seattle University?
Admission rate: 76.92%.
Among enrollees who submitted scores: average SAT 1307 and midpoint ACT 28.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is Seattle University?
Total enrollment: 4,062 students.
Undergraduate enrollment: 4,454 students.
Graduate enrollment: 3,111 students.
About 98% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Seattle University?
150%-time completion rate: 75.51%.
First-year retention: 84.2%.
What do graduates of Seattle University earn?
Median earnings: $64,656 six years after entry; $75,272 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $19,883.
23.57% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Seattle University known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (253 completions)
- Computer Science (236 completions)
- Business Administration and Management, General (232 completions)
- Law (205 completions)
- Management Science (106 completions)
- Psychology, General (88 completions)
- Finance, General (62 completions)
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General (61 completions)
- College Student Counseling and Personnel Services (56 completions)
- Social Work (52 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Seattle University a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 76.92%; completion rate 75.51%; median earnings $75,272 at 10 years; net price $34,662. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition Costs
$56,721
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Seattle University was $56,721.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$34,662
2024 Value
In 2024 Seattle University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $34,662.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$138,648 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$34,662 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$226,884 4-Year Tuition
$15,702 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$792 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)
$73,215 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$292,860 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)
4-year total cost breakdown for Seattle University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
23.57% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
49.39% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Seattle University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Seattle University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $36,465 | $36,465 | $33,557 |
| 2014 | $38,205 | $38,205 | $32,996 |
| 2015 | $39,690 | $39,690 | $34,164 |
| 2016 | $41,265 | $41,265 | $33,170 |
| 2017 | $42,885 | $42,885 | $35,006 |
| 2018 | $44,610 | $44,610 | $34,947 |
| 2019 | $46,590 | $46,590 | $34,802 |
| 2020 | $48,390 | $48,390 | $35,109 |
| 2021 | $49,335 | $49,335 | $35,518 |
| 2022 | $51,324 | $51,324 | $33,700 |
| 2023 | $54,285 | $54,285 | $34,802 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Acceptance Rate
76.92% Acceptance Rate
8,976 Total Applicants
6,826 Students Admitted
1,049 First-Time Students Enrolled
15.37% Yield (enrolled ÷ admitted)
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
SAT Average: 1307
ACT Average: 28
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
Estimated GPA Range: 3.5 - 3.7
Estimated Median GPA: 3.60
Note: GPA requirements are estimated based on admission selectivity and test scores. Actual requirements may vary.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Seattle University reported total enrollment of about 4,062 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 40% male and 60% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (28.8%), Asian (28.0%), and Hispanic or Latino (15.8%). About 23.57% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 19.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
97.6% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Seattle University in 2024 is 4,062 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 4,454 students. Graduate enrollment is about 3,111 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
84.2%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is White at 28.8%.
Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).
College Scorecard student demographics.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
66.95% 100% Completion Time
75.51% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 66.95% of students graduating from Seattle University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 14% male / 86% female
- Computer Science: 69% male / 31% female
- Business Administration and Management, General: 46% male / 54% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: White.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Seattle University.
Return on Investment
$19,883 Median Student Debt
$75,272 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
26.41% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
442.90% Return on Investment
2.6 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for Seattle University.
Top Programs by Completions
10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 85 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
1. Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 253 completions
2. Computer Science: 236 completions
3. Business Administration and Management, General: 232 completions
4. Law: 205 completions
5. Management Science: 106 completions
6. Psychology, General: 88 completions
7. Finance, General: 62 completions
8. Marketing/Marketing Management, General: 61 completions
9. College Student Counseling and Personnel Services: 56 completions
Most popular programs at Seattle University.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Seattle University graduates.
Operations
Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for Seattle University from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 67.0%
- Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $8,352
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $18,739
Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
About
Seattle University is a private non-profit institution located in Seattle, WA, classified as Doctoral/Professional Universities. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse, Computer Science, Business Administration and Management, General. Enrollment is approximately 4,062 students. Student body composition includes White (28.8%), Asian (28.0%), Hispanic or Latino (15.8%). The admission rate is 76.92%. Average SAT scores for admitted students are 1307. The 150%-time completion rate is 75.51%. Approximately 23.57% of students receive Pell Grants. About 19.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Institution Type
Private Non-profit
Carnegie Classification: Doctoral/Professional Universities
Location
Seattle, WA 98122-4340
Region: Far West
Insights and Analysis
Diverse Program Offerings: With over 85 distinct degree programs, Seattle University provides students with a wide range of academic options. This diversity allows students to explore various fields and find programs that align with their interests and career goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Seattle University located?
Seattle University is located in Seattle, WA.
What is Seattle University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Seattle University is 76.9% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 8,976 applicants and 6,826 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
How much does Seattle University cost?
Reported tuition is $56,721 and average net price is $34,662 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $15,702 annually.
What is the student body demographics at Seattle University?
Seattle University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 4,454 students, White (28.8%), Asian (28.0%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Seattle University?
About 19.4% of students at Seattle University are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Seattle University?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Seattle University reports midpoint SAT about 1307 and midpoint ACT about 28.
What do graduates of Seattle University earn?
Median earnings are $64,656 six years after entry and $75,272 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Seattle University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 75.5% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Seattle University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $19,883.
Is Seattle University public or private?
Seattle University is a private nonprofit institution located in Seattle, WA.
Is Seattle University an HBCU?
No. Seattle University is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Seattle University a tribal college?
No. Seattle University is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- Washington college costs
- Washington colleges by ROI
- Seattle, Washington city profile
- Far West regional profile
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in Washington
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.