Most Selective Colleges in Washington
Ranked by acceptance rate (18 colleges with at least 500 undergraduates). Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.
| # | College | Acceptance rate | Net price | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whitman College Walla Walla, WA · Private nonprofit | 38% | $33,313 | $67,589 |
| 2 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA · Public | 39% | $14,091 | $78,466 |
| 3 | DigiPen Institute of Technology Redmond, WA · Private for-profit | 64% | $44,446 | $79,878 |
| 4 | University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA · Private nonprofit | 72% | $38,394 | $69,594 |
| 5 | Seattle University Seattle, WA · Private nonprofit | 77% | $34,662 | $75,272 |
| 6 | Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma, WA · Private nonprofit | 78% | $19,589 | $66,990 |
| 7 | Gonzaga University Spokane, WA · Private nonprofit | 82% | $35,119 | $78,892 |
| 8 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Tacoma, WA · Public | 83% | $10,163 | $78,466 |
| 9 | Northwest University Kirkland, WA · Private nonprofit | 83% | $22,288 | $54,914 |
| 10 | Seattle Pacific University Seattle, WA · Private nonprofit | 83% | $24,488 | $64,506 |
| 11 | Washington State University Pullman, WA · Public | 87% | $14,971 | $68,905 |
| 12 | Whitworth University Spokane, WA · Private nonprofit | 90% | $26,534 | $58,561 |
| 13 | Saint Martin's University Lacey, WA · Private nonprofit | 90% | $28,119 | $62,092 |
| 14 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus Bothell, WA · Public | 91% | $12,319 | $78,466 |
| 15 | Central Washington University Ellensburg, WA · Public | 91% | $18,476 | $61,580 |
| 16 | Eastern Washington University Cheney, WA · Public | 91% | $13,886 | $57,897 |
| 17 | Western Washington University Bellingham, WA · Public | 93% | $21,193 | $62,569 |
| 18 | The Evergreen State College Olympia, WA · Public | 96% | $24,319 | $45,320 |