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2022 Best Value Colleges for Education in Washington (With Aid)

25 Ranked Colleges
6,729 Degrees Awarded
$17,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 310,601 education students received their degree, making the major the 4th most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $43,887 and had an average of $30,244 in loans still to pay off.

Across Washington, there were 6,729 education graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 25 colleges that offered a degree in education. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality education programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the education program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Education Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for washington education students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Education in Washington (With Aid)

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid list. UW Seattle is a large school located in Seattle, Washington that handed out 633 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

UW Seattle also took the #1 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Washington” ranking. It costs about $13,297 for Washington Education students with aid per year to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Washington - Seattle Campus Education Report

#2

Spokane Falls Community College

Spokane, Washington

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Spokane Falls Community College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Spokane, Washington, this small public school awarded 119 degrees to qualified ’s education students in 2019-2020.

Spokane Falls Community College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Education Schools in Washington” list. It costs about $6,763 for Washington Education students with aid per year to attend Spokane Falls Community College.

Read full report on Education at Spokane Falls Community College

#3

Heritage University

Toppenish, Washington

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Heritage University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Toppenish, Washington, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 91 diplomas to qualified ’s education students in 2019-2020.

Heritage University also took the #14 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Washington” ranking. It costs about $10,056 for washington education students with aid per year to attend Heritage University.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Education at Heritage University

#4

Eastern Washington University

Cheney, Washington

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Eastern Washington University. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid list. Eastern Washington University is a public institution located in Cheney, Washington. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 352 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at EWU, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Washington” ranking. The yearly cost to attend EWU is $12,607 for Washington Education students with aid.

Full EWU Education Report

#5

Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom

Lakewood, Washington
#18 in overall quality

Out of the 25 schools in the Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom landed the #5 spot on the list. Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom is a public institution located in Lakewood, Washington. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 102 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Education Schools in Washington” list. The yearly cost to attend Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom is $8,926 for Washington Education students with aid.

Read more about Education at Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom

#6

Yakima Valley College

Yakima, Washington

Yakima Valley College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #6. Yakima Valley College is a public institution located in Yakima, Washington. The school has a small population, and it awarded 153 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

YVC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Education Schools in Washington” list. The yearly cost to attend YVC is $8,079 for Washington Education students with aid.

Read full report on Education at Yakima Valley College

#7

Olympic College

Bremerton, Washington

Olympic College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Bremerton, Washington, this medium-sized public school awarded 136 diplomas to qualified ’s education students in 2019-2020.

OC also made our “Best Education Schools in Washington” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for Olympic College is $7,319 for Washington Education students with aid.

Read more about Education at Olympic College

South Puget Sound Community College landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid ranking. Olympia, Washington is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s education degrees to 83 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our washington education students with aid list, South Puget Sound Community College has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best Education Schools in Washington” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for South Puget Sound Community College is $7,007 for Washington Education students with aid.

Read full report on Education at South Puget Sound Community College

#9

Western Washington University

Bellingham, Washington

With a ranking of #9, Western Washington University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Bellingham, Washington, this fairly large public school awarded 329 degrees to qualified ’s education students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at WWU, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Washington” ranking. The yearly cost to attend WWU is $16,529 for Washington Education students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full WWU Education Report

#10

Central Washington University

Ellensburg, Washington

With a ranking of #10, Central Washington University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid list. Ellensburg, Washington is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s education degrees to 481 students in 2019-2020.

CWU also took the #9 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Washington” ranking. It costs about $15,397 for Washington Education students with aid per year to attend Central Washington University.

Full CWU Education Report

#11

Washington State University

Pullman, Washington

Washington State University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid ranking. Washington State University is a public institution located in Pullman, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 621 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wazzu not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Education Schools in Washington” list. The yearly cost to attend Wazzu is $16,358 for washington education students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Education at Wazzu

#12

The Evergreen State College

Olympia, Washington

The Evergreen State College landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid ranking. The Evergreen State College is located in Olympia, Washington and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 45 ’s education degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our washington education students with aid list, Evergreen has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Education Schools in Washington” ranking. It costs about $13,604 for washington education students with aid per year to attend Evergreen.

Read more about Education at Evergreen

#13

Lower Columbia College

Longview, Washington

Lower Columbia College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid list. Lower Columbia College is a small public school situated in Longview, Washington. It awarded 27 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

LCC also took the #24 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Washington” ranking. It costs about $6,461 for washington education students with aid per year to attend LCC.

Full LCC Education Report

#14

Pacific Lutheran University

Tacoma, Washington

With a ranking of #14, Pacific Lutheran University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid list. PLU is a small school located in Tacoma, Washington that handed out 87 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our washington education students with aid list, PLU has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Education Schools in Washington” ranking. It costs about $23,058 for washington education students with aid per year to attend Pacific Lutheran University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at PLU

#15

Northwest University

Kirkland, Washington

Northwest University landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Kirkland, Washington, and it awarded 78 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Northwest University also took the #12 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Washington” ranking. It costs about $22,194 for Washington Education students with aid per year to attend Northwest University.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 4.1% 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%.

Read full report on Education at Northwest University

#16

Saint Martin's University

Lacey, Washington

Saint Martin’s University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid list. Saint Martin’s is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Lacey, Washington. It awarded 36 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our washington education students with aid list, Saint Martin’s has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Education Schools in Washington” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Martin’s University is $22,668 for Washington Education students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Education at Saint Martin’s University

University of Washington - Bothell Campus ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid list. Bothell, Washington is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s education degrees to 101 students in 2019-2020.

UW Bothell not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Education Schools in Washington” list. It costs about $11,060 for washington education students with aid per year to attend UW Bothell.

The low student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Education at UW Bothell

#18

Whitworth University

Spokane, Washington

With a ranking of #18, Whitworth University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid list. Whitworth is a private not-for-profit institution located in Spokane, Washington. The school has a small population, and it awarded 186 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Whitworth, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Washington” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Whitworth University is $25,557 for washington education students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at Whitworth

#19

Seattle Pacific University

Seattle, Washington

Seattle Pacific University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Seattle, Washington, and it awarded 373 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our washington education students with aid list, SPU has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Education Schools in Washington” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Seattle Pacific University is $26,505 for Washington Education students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at SPU

University of Washington - Tacoma Campus came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Washington - Tacoma Campus is a medium-sized school located in Tacoma, Washington that handed out 69 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UW Tacoma is $10,817 for washington education students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Education at University of Washington - Tacoma Campus

#21

Walla Walla University

College Place, Washington

Walla Walla University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid ranking. College Place, Washington is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s education degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.

Walla Walla U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Education Schools in Washington” list. It costs about $20,571 for washington education students with aid per year to attend Walla Walla University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Education at Walla Walla U

#22

Seattle University

Seattle, Washington

With a ranking of #22, Seattle University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid list. Seattle U is a private not-for-profit institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 185 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Seattle U also made our “Best Education Schools in Washington” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for Seattle U is $34,802 for washington education students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Seattle University Education Report

#23

Gonzaga University

Spokane, Washington

Gonzaga University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #23. Gonzaga University is a medium-sized school located in Spokane, Washington that handed out 128 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Gonzaga, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Washington” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Gonzaga University is $33,793 for Washington Education students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Education at Gonzaga

#24

University of Puget Sound

Tacoma, Washington

With a ranking of #24, University of Puget Sound did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid list. Puget Sound is a small school located in Tacoma, Washington that handed out 68 ’s education degrees in 2019-2020.

Puget Sound also took the #6 spot in our “Best Education Schools in Washington” ranking. It costs about $35,149 for washington education students with aid per year to attend University of Puget Sound.

The low student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Education at Puget Sound

Northwest University - College of Adult and Professional Studies came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools in Washington For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Kirkland, Washington, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 11 degrees to qualified ’s education students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Northwest University CAPS is $26,232 for Washington Education students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Education at Northwest University - College of Adult and Professional Studies

Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Horadrim.

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