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.
Learn more about our ranking methodology.
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 analysis found University of Washington - Seattle Campus to be the best school for overall quality in Washington in this year’s ranking.
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.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Seattle University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Washington.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Seattle U make an average of $75,272 per year during the early years of their career.
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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Wazzu make an average of $68,905 per year during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Gonzaga University. The school came in at #4 in Washington on this year’s overall quality ranking.
The 4-year grad rate at the school is 77%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga go into careers with an average salary of $78,892 during the early years of their career.
A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges in Washington list means Western Washington University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $62,569 during the early years of their career..
With a ranking of #6, Central Washington University did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington list.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from CWU make an average of $61,580 per year during the early years of their career.
Lake Washington Institute of Technology ranked #7 on this year’s 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 landed the #8 spot on the 2025 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. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from CityU go into careers with an average salary of $69,460 during the early years of their career.
Pacific Lutheran University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Washington ranking.
During the early years of their career, graduates from PLU make an average of $66,990 a year.
Clover Park Technical College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Colleges in Washington list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from CPTC make an average of $41,787 a year.
Bellevue College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking, coming in at #11.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from BC go into careers with an average salary of $56,310 during the early years of their career.
Seattle Pacific University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Colleges in Washington list.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $64,506 during the early years of their career..
Green River College ranked #13 on this year’s Best Colleges in Washington list.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from GRC go into careers with an average salary of $50,712 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #14, University of Puget Sound did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington list.
The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Puget Sound make an average of $69,594 per year during the early years of their career.
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.
During the early years of their career, graduates from EWU make an average of $57,897 a year.
Highline College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Washington ranking.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Highline is $47,869 during the early years of their career.
Whitworth University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking, coming in at #18.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Whitworth make an average of $58,561 per year during the early years of their career.
Heritage University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Colleges in Washington list.
With a student-to-faculty rate of 8 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 Heritage University make an average of $49,416 a year.
Northwest University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking, coming in at #20.
The student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Northwest University is $54,914 during the early years of their career.
Walla Walla University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Washington ranking.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Walla Walla U make an average of $61,885 per year during the early years of their career.
Columbia Basin College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking, coming in at #22.
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 ranked #23 on this year’s Best Colleges in Washington list.
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.
Bellingham Technical College ranked #24 on this year’s Best Colleges in Washington list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute make an average of $49,748 a year.
With a ranking of #25, Spokane Community College did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Spokane Community College make an average of $41,984 a year.
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.