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Lake Washington Institute of Technology

#6 Most Affordable Colleges in Washington
Public Kirkland, WA · Suburban · Far West · 80% data
A+ Diversity A Value A- Affordability
Graduation Rate
38% D
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$50,669 B-
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$6,817 A-
60% less than the typical college
Enrollment
2,406
Earnings +24% vs avg
Graduation -33% vs avg
Net Price +-60% vs avg
Mobility Top 69%

Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 42.8× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $42.8 over 20 years. Ranked #6 in Most Affordable Colleges in Washington.

42.8× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $42.8 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,138,735.

What The Data Says

  1. A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Earnings 24% above the national college median.

  3. Graduation of 38% — 33% below the national average.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $42.8 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Lake Washington Institute of Technology Matters

Lake Washington Institute of Technology is a public college in Kirkland, WA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public College
Carnegie Class
Baccalaureate College
Enrollment
2,406
Setting
Suburban
Primary Strengths
Education, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT

Why students choose Lake Washington Institute of Technology

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Close mentorship
A small, undergraduate-focused community

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

B-
Top 34% overall
B-
Earnings
$50,669 median
A
Value
7.4× net price
A-
Affordability
$6,817/yr net
D
Graduation
38% graduate
D+
Social Mobility
1.1% climb Q1→Q5
A+
Diversity
0.82 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Lake Washington Institute of Technology is a solid choice for students looking to dive into practical fields like Education, Health Professions, Computer Science & IT, Business & Marketing, and Mechanic & Repair Tech. With an enrollment of around 2,406, it’s a place where you can find a community of like-minded individuals focused on skill-building and career readiness. The emphasis here is on hands-on learning, which resonates with those eager to enter the workforce equipped with applicable skills.

After graduation, students can expect to earn about $50,669 within a decade, which is a decent starting point for building a career. While the graduation rate sits at 38%, many find their footing and move up in their careers after completing their studies. Affordability is a big plus; the net price after aid is just $6,817, making it accessible for those who may be concerned about student debt. This financial aspect can ease the transition into the workforce for graduates.

On the practical side, students here typically carry a median debt of $15,047, which is manageable given their earnings potential. Those who thrive at Lake Washington tend to be driven and focused on specific career paths, often prioritizing practical skills over traditional academic routes. This approach allows for a supportive environment where students can grow at their own pace, ultimately leading to successful futures in their chosen fields.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Lake Washington Institute of Technology is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Lake Washington Institute of Technology? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Kirkland, Washington, Lake Washington Institute of Technology enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 38%.

Full-Time Faculty
97%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$9,914
Student–Faculty Ratio
16:1
Diversity Index
0.82
First-Gen Students
41%

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Lake Washington Institute of Technology? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Lake Washington Institute of Technology is $12,062, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $6,817. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,255 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $15,047 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$5,997
Out-of-State
$12,062
Avg Net Price
$6,817
Median Debt
$15,047
Pell Grant Rate
13%
Federal Loan Rate
5%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$5,255
Family Income $30K–$48K
$7,088
Family Income $48K–$75K
$9,784
Family Income $110K+
$16,339

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Lake Washington Institute of Technology — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Lake Washington Institute of Technology Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Lake Washington Institute of Technology earn a median of $50,669, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$44,895
8 Years
$49,469
10 Years
$50,669
Debt-to-Earnings
0.3x
Earning > $25K
63%

Earnings Trajectory

$44,895 6yr $49,469 8yr $50,669 10yr

How Lake Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation38%Earnings 10yr$51KNet Price$7KMedian Debt$15KPell Grant Rate13%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$5K$0-30K$7K$30-48K$10K$48-75K$16K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%8.5%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%13.3%MOBILITY1.13%

College ROI Calculator

Is Lake Washington Institute of Technology Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Lake Washington Institute of Technology delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $6,817/year ($27,268 total). Graduates earn $50,669 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,166,003 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,138,735 (42.8× your investment). The median debt is $15,047, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 38% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$27,268
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,166,003
Net Return
$1,138,735
ROI Multiple
42.8×
Cost Per Year
$6,817
Median Debt
$15,047
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
38%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Lake Washington Institute of Technology Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Lake Washington Institute of Technology is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.13%, in line with strong performers nationally. About 8.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 13.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $84,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.13%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
13.3%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
8.5%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$114,262
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Lake Washington Institute of Technology? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Lake Washington Institute of Technology. Its economic connectedness score is 1.62, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.62
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.00
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
4.5%
Support Ratio
0.87
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Endowment
$479,871
Federal Grants
$1,787,649
Investment Income
$19,270

Top Programs

The fields Lake Washington Institute of Technology awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Lake Washington Institute of Technology? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Kirkland, Washington, Lake Washington Institute of Technology enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 38%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Lake Washington Institute of Technology? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Lake Washington Institute of Technology is $12,062, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $6,817. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,255 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $15,047 in federal student loans.

Is Lake Washington Institute of Technology Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Lake Washington Institute of Technology earn a median of $50,669, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does Lake Washington Institute of Technology Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Lake Washington Institute of Technology is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.13%, in line with strong performers nationally. About 8.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 13.3% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $84,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Lake Washington Institute of Technology? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Lake Washington Institute of Technology. Its economic connectedness score is 1.62, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.00), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Lake Washington Institute of Technology.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys