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. During the early years of their career, graduates from UW Seattle make an average of $78,466 a year.
A rank of #2 on our Best Colleges in Washington list means Seattle University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Seattle U make an average of $75,272 per year during the early years of their career.
Out of the 50 schools in Washington that were part of this year’s ranking, Washington State University landed the #3 spot on the list.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 77%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Gonzaga make an average of $78,892 a year.
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..
Central Washington University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking, coming in at #6.
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 landed the #7 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking.
During the early years of their career, graduates from LWTech make an average of $50,669 a year.
City University of Seattle landed the #8 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking.
The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. During the early years of their career, graduates from CityU make an average of $69,460 a year.
Pacific Lutheran University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Washington ranking.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from PLU go into careers with an average salary of $66,990 during the early years of their career.
Clover Park Technical College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking, coming in at #10.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $41,787 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 came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Washington ranking.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from SPU make an average of $64,506 per year during the early years of their career.
Green River College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking, coming in at #13.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from GRC make an average of $50,712 per year 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.
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. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Puget Sound make an average of $69,594 per year during the early years of their career.
Seattle Central College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Washington ranking.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $43,307 during the early years of their career..
Eastern Washington University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Colleges in Washington list.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from EWU go into careers with an average salary of $57,897 during the early years of their career.
Highline College landed the #17 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $47,869 during the early years of their career..
With a ranking of #18, Whitworth University did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Whitworth make an average of $58,561 a year.
Heritage University ranked #19 on this year’s 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 did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking, coming in at #20.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% 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.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Walla Walla U make an average of $61,885 a year.
With a ranking of #22, Columbia Basin College did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington list.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from CBC is $46,680 during the early years of their career.
Shoreline Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking, coming in at #23.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Shoreline Community College go into careers with an average salary of $52,009 during the early years of their career.
Bellingham Technical College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Washington ranking.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute go into careers with an average salary of $49,748 during the early years of their career.
Spokane Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Washington ranking, coming in at #25.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Spokane Community College is $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.