2026 Best Value Photography Schools in Washington
[Photography](/majors/visual-and-performing-arts/film-video-and-photographic-arts/photography/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong photography education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for photography students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Photography Schools in Washington
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the photography degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Photography Schools
Eastern Washington University tops our 2026 list of the best value photography schools in Washington. Located in the town of Cheney, Eastern Washington University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,586, while out-of-state students pay about $26,583. Typical student debt for photography graduates is $21,754. Photography graduates of Eastern Washington University earn a median of $25,090 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Eastern Washington University admits about 91% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Washington Seattle Campus earned it the #2 place for photography. University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Seattle. In-state tuition and fees average $12,973, while out-of-state students pay about $43,209. Photography graduates carry a median of $16,481 in student loans. Soon after graduation, photography degree recipients from University Of Washington Seattle Campus generally make around $65,681. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Washington Seattle Campus admits about 39% of applicants.
Seattle University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value photography schools. Seattle University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Seattle. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $56,721. Photography graduates carry a median of $24,583 in student loans. Soon after graduation, photography degree recipients from Seattle University generally make around $30,256. That is a strong return on a $24,583 median debt. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- 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.
