2026 Best Best Schools in Washington

Best is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for best students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best Best Schools in Washington

Best Schools for Best in Washington

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the best degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Best

1

University Of Washington Seattle Campus
Seattle, WA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

38 Best Degrees Awarded

$65,681 Median Starting Salary

Our analysis ranked University Of Washington Seattle Campus the best school in the country for a degree in best. This very large public university is located in the city of Seattle. University Of Washington Seattle Campus graduates 85% of students within six years. University Of Washington Seattle Campus awarded about 38 best degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, best degree recipients from University Of Washington Seattle Campus generally make around $65,681. University Of Washington Seattle Campus graduates carry a median of $16,481 in student loans. Read more about the best program at University Of Washington Seattle Campus

2

Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

22 Best Degrees Awarded

$41,118 Median Starting Salary

A rank of #2 makes Western Washington University one of the top schools for best. This large public university is located in the city of Bellingham. Western Washington University graduates 65% of students within six years. Western Washington University awarded about 22 best degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, best degree recipients from Western Washington University generally make around $41,118. Typical student debt for the program is $20,361. Read more about the best program at Western Washington University

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 2 schools evaluated.

• 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).

More about our data sources and methodologies.