2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington
When pursuing a degree in today's world, veterans have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Our analysis looked at 55 schools in Washington to determine which ones were the best for veterans and active service men and women. Instead of depending on subjective information, we focus on over 20 objective factors to determine this ranking. These factors include such things as number of GI Bill® recipients at the school, percentage of costs covered by the GI Bill®, and the school's overall quality.
Find out more about our ranking methodology.
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Top Colleges for Veterans in Washington
See which schools came out on top of our ranking:
Our 2021 rankings named Washington State University the best school in Washington for veterans working on their bachelor’s degree. Wazzu is a public institution located in Pullman, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 7,635 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 31,159 students enrolled at Wazzu, 1,046 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 566 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,054. During this same period, 2 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Wazzu does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Wazzu excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our Best Schools in Washington list.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of Washington - Seattle Campus helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools for veterans in Washington. UW Seattle is a public institution located in Seattle, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 14,925 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 1,278 of the 48,149 students enrolled at UW Seattle were GI Bill® students, of which 780 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $14,461. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
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%. In addition to its best for vets ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, UW Seattle is ranked #1 for overall quality in Washington.
A rank of #3 on our Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington list means Central Washington University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Ellensburg, Washington, the fairly large public school awarded 3,188 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, CWU supports 11,174 students, and 686 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 336 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,175. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Out of the 55 schools in Washington that were part of this year’s ranking, Gonzaga University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Spokane, Washington, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 2,252 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Gonzaga supports 7,295 students, and 281 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 248 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $13,710. During this same period, 74 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Gonzaga does offer credit for military training for eligible 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%. Gonzaga did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our Best Schools in Washington list.
A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington list means Eastern Washington University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Cheney, Washington, the fairly large public school handed out 2,966 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 648 of the 12,349 students enrolled at EWU were GI Bill® students, of which 373 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,347. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Western Washington University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington ranking. Located in Bellingham, Washington, the fairly large public school awarded 4,059 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Among the 15,197 students enrolled at WWU, 621 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 373 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,045. To help with additional expenses, 7 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%. In addition to its great veterans ranking, WWU is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Schools in Washington list.
City University of Seattle ranked #7 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington list. Located in Seattle, Washington, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 564 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 253 of the 2,052 students enrolled at CityU were GI Bill® students, of which 235 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,136. On top of their other funding sources, 23 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. CityU does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Saint Martin’s University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington list. Lacey, Washington is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 393 students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Saint Martin’s supports 1,638 students, and 494 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 365 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $12,739. In addition to receiving other benefits, 88 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
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%.
With a ranking of #9, Pacific Lutheran University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington list. Located in Tacoma, Washington, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 952 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 307 of the 2,907 students enrolled at PLU were GI Bill® students, of which 239 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $17,192. To help with additional expenses, 95 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, PLU also did well on our Best Schools in Washington list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Shoreline Community College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington list. Shoreline Community College is a public institution located in Shoreline, Washington. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 936 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 5,382 students enrolled at Shoreline Community College, 267 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 209 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,752. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
On top of its placing in our veterans ranking, Shoreline Community College also did well on our Best Schools in Washington list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Whitworth University did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington ranking, coming in at #11. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Spokane, Washington, and it awarded 779 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 130 of the 2,756 students enrolled at Whitworth were GI Bill® students, of which 101 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $15,040. To help with additional expenses, 20 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
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%.
University of Washington - Bothell Campus ranked #12 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington list. This medium-sized public school is located in Bothell, Washington, and it awarded 2,087 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 6,304 students enrolled at UW Bothell, 280 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 184 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,631. UW Bothell does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
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%.
Read full report on University of Washington - Bothell Campus
With a ranking of #13, University of Washington - Tacoma Campus did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington list. University of Washington - Tacoma Campus is a medium-sized public school located in Tacoma, Washington that handed out 1,939 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 5,364 students enrolled at UW Tacoma, 727 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 421 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,131. UW Tacoma does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
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%.
Bellevue College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington ranking. Located in Bellevue, Washington, the fairly large public school awarded 2,134 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, BC supports 12,286 students, and 443 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 349 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,033. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
In addition to its best for vets ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, BC is ranked #3 for overall quality in Washington.
The Evergreen State College did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington ranking, coming in at #15. The Evergreen State College is a small public school located in Olympia, Washington that handed out 914 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 302 of the 2,281 students enrolled at Evergreen were GI Bill® students, of which 176 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $7,932. In addition to receiving other benefits, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Lake Washington Institute of Technology landed the #16 spot on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington ranking. Kirkland, Washington is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 538 students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, LWTech supports 3,319 students, and 153 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 129 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,364. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Clark College did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington ranking, coming in at #17. Clark College is a medium-sized public school situated in Vancouver, Washington. It awarded 1,587 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 542 of the 7,665 students enrolled at Clark College were GI Bill® students, of which 375 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,698. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Renton Technical College did quite well in the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington ranking, coming in at #18. Renton Technical College is a small public school situated in Renton, Washington. It awarded 257 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Among the 3,214 students enrolled at Renton Technical College, 143 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 99 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,560. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Bellingham Technical College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington list. Located in Bellingham, Washington, the small public school handed out 301 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Bellingham Vocational Technical Institute supports 1,848 students, and 145 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 83 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,728. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
With a ranking of #20, Seattle University did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington list. Seattle University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Seattle, Washington that handed out 2,350 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Seattle U supports 7,050 students, and 271 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 188 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $18,292. In addition to receiving other benefits, 89 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
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%. Seattle U also took the #5 spot in our Best Schools in Washington rankings.
South Puget Sound Community College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington ranking. South Puget Sound Community College is a small public school located in Olympia, Washington that handed out 1,110 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 4,665 students enrolled at South Puget Sound Community College, 614 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 363 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,755. South Puget Sound Community College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Clover Park Technical College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington ranking. CPTC is a small public school situated in Lakewood, Washington. It awarded 551 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Our most recent data shows that 698 of the 3,591 students enrolled at CPTC were GI Bill® students, of which 533 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,865. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Tacoma Community College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington ranking. Tacoma Community College is a public institution located in Tacoma, Washington. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,035 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Tacoma Community College supports 5,823 students, and 758 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 517 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,916. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
With a ranking of #24, Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom did quite well on the 2021 Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington list. Lakewood, Washington is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,756 students in 2019-2020.
According to our most recent data, Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom supports 8,329 students, and 914 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 621 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,050. On top of their other funding sources, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Olympic College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Colleges for Veterans in Washington list. Olympic College is a medium-sized public school located in Bremerton, Washington that handed out 1,233 bachelor’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Of the 5,357 students enrolled at OC, 1,008 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 711 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,912. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Best Colleges for Veterans in the Far Western US Region
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Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top 25 schools only.
**GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
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).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- 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%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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