by our College Data Analytics TeamWhen pursuing a degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Top Washington Colleges ranking.
Our analysis looked at 50 schools in Washington to determine which ones were the best in terms of overall quality. Our ranking methodology focuses on over 20 different objective factors - such as graduation rate, post graduate earnings, and a school's average expenditure per student - to make this determination.
Since one ranking on its own is not enough to give you a complete understanding of your educational options, you can refine this list by location and field of study. We've also developed a number of other tools and rankings based on other factors. These other rankings highlight colleges that excel in other factors such as value or diversity as well as schools that excel in serving different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering!
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2025 rankings named University of Washington - Seattle Campus the best school in Washington in terms of overall quality for students working on their bachelor’s degree.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UW Seattle make an average of $78,466 per year during the early years of their career.
Out of the 50 schools in Washington that were part of this year’s ranking, Seattle University landed the #2 spot on the list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Seattle U make an average of $75,272 a year.
A rank of #3 on our Best Colleges in Washington list means Washington State University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree.
The low student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Wazzu go into careers with an average salary of $68,905 during the early years of their career.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Gonzaga University helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Washington.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga make an average of $78,892 per year during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Western Washington University. The school came in at #5 in Washington on this year’s overall quality ranking.
During the early years of their career, graduates from WWU make an average of $62,569 a year.
Central Washington University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking, coming in at #6.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $61,580 during the early years of their career..
With a ranking of #7, Lake Washington Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington list.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from LWTech go into careers with an average salary of $50,669 during the early years of their career.
City University of Seattle came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Washington ranking.
With a student-to-faculty rate of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. During the early years of their career, graduates from CityU make an average of $69,460 a year.
With a ranking of #9, Pacific Lutheran University did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington list.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from PLU make an average of $66,990 per year during the early years of their career.
Clover Park Technical College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Washington ranking.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from CPTC make an average of $41,787 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #11, Bellevue College did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from BC make an average of $56,310 a year.
Seattle Pacific University landed the #12 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from SPU go into careers with an average salary of $64,506 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #13, Green River College did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington list.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from GRC is $50,712 during the early years of their career.
University of Puget Sound ranked #14 on this year’s Best Colleges in Washington list.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. During the early years of their career, graduates from Puget Sound make an average of $69,594 a year.
With a ranking of #15, Seattle Central College did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington list.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Seattle Central is $43,307 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #16, Eastern Washington University did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington list.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from EWU is $57,897 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #17, Highline College did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington list.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Highline go into careers with an average salary of $47,869 during the early years of their career.
Whitworth University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Washington ranking.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Whitworth make an average of $58,561 a year.
With a ranking of #19, Heritage University did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington list.
The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Heritage University is $49,416 during the early years of their career.
Northwest University ranked #20 on this year’s Best Colleges in Washington list.
The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $54,914 during the early years of their career..
Walla Walla University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking, coming in at #21.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $61,885 during the early years of their career..
Columbia Basin College landed the #22 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $46,680 during the early years of their career..
Shoreline Community College landed the #23 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Shoreline Community College is $52,009 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #24, Bellingham Technical College did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington list.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute is $49,748 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #25, Spokane Community College did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington list.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $41,984 during the early years of their career..
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.