Higher Education Outcome Report · West

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Washington Higher Education Outcome Report

Updated continuously · 59 degree-granting institutions graded

Washington's higher education system is a below-average mobility system. Median 10-year earnings sit at $53,920, +5% vs the national median.

technology & aerospace
cloud computing
agriculture

91
INSTITUTIONS: $53,920
MEDIAN EARNINGS: ▲ 5% vs natl; $16,581
AVG NET PRICE: 42 / 26
PUBLIC / PRIVATE

OUTCOME GRADE

B+

63/100 · #15 of 50

Washington At A Glance

State-Level Intelligence

Institutions

59

203,126 students enrolled
Graduates / Year

~27,294

Estimated annual completers
Median Earnings
58th pct

$50,712

21st of 50 states
Mobility Score
37th pct

1.4%

29th of 46 states
Talent Retention
48th pct

76%

First-year retention rate
Value Ratio
90th pct

4.1x

Earnings per net-price dollar

Top Industries Hiring Graduates:

Humanities
Business
Healthcare

Executive Summary

Washington graduates earn a median of $50,712 a decade after entry, 4% above the national state average, ranking 21st of 50 states.
Upward mobility sits mid-pack: the state's institutions move bottom-quintile students into the top quintile at a 1.4% rate, in the 37th percentile nationally.
Degree production is led by Humanities and Business, which together account for 36% of graduates. That diversified mix sets what the state's labor pipeline can supply.
Social Sciences is the standout sector: graduates earn $65,635, +27.3% versus the national median. That premium points to a real wage advantage rather than sheer volume.
Humanities shows oversupply pressure: graduate earnings run 8% below the national median, suggesting the field produces more graduates than the local market rewards.
On value, Washington returns 4.1x earnings per dollar of net price, among the strongest cost-to-outcome efficiency in the country.

Key Insights

Earnings vs National

+12.3%

Median graduate earnings in Washington are above the national average by 12%.
Cost vs National

-2.3%

Net price in Washington is lower than the national average by 2%.
Mobility Rate

-0.31pp

Upward mobility rate is 0.3 percentage points below the national average.
Completion Rate

-4pp

Washington's graduation rate is 4 percentage points below the national average.
Best Value

11.3x

Top value school: Northwest Indian College ($35,447 earnings vs $3,136 net price).
Low-Income Access

8.9%

9% of students come from bottom-quintile households, a measure of how open the state's colleges are to low-income students.

Education Output Profile

Humanities (21% of graduates) and Business (15% of graduates) dominate Washington's higher education output. Graduates in the top field earn a weighted average of $47,798.

Humanities

21%

$47,798 avg
Business

15%

$56,601 avg
Healthcare

13%

$51,451 avg
Social Sciences

10%

$65,569 avg
Technology

10%

$62,472 avg

Concentration: diversified HHI: 12

Outcome Performance

Washington's highest-ROI degree cluster is Trades (Culinary & Personal Services), where graduates average $44,052 against a net cost of $8,803, a 5.0x return. That's -14.6% vs the national median.

Culinary & Personal Services
5.0x

$44,052 earnings $8,803 net -14.6% vs natl
Legal Studies
5.0x

$52,544 earnings $10,557 net +1.9% vs natl
Precision Production
4.9x

$43,717 earnings $8,980 net -15.2% vs natl
Construction Trades
4.7x

$44,437 earnings $9,421 net -13.8% vs natl
Mechanic & Repair Tech
4.5x

$45,310 earnings $9,964 net -12.1% vs natl
Transportation
4.0x

$47,739 earnings $11,820 net -7.4% vs natl

State Talent Profile

Three lenses on Washington's talent pipeline: which fields produce the most graduates, which command the highest earnings, and where high-pay demand outruns local supply.

Dominant Fields

Humanities 20%
Business & Marketing 15%
Health Professions 13%
Computer Science & IT 9%
Education 6%

Highest-Earning Fields

Social Sciences $67,876
Communications $67,018
Engineering $66,834
Biology & Biomedical $64,268
Psychology $62,931

Opportunity Gaps

High earnings, low local production — fields where demand may outrun Washington's graduate supply.

Social Sciences $67,876 6% of grads
Communications $67,018 3% of grads
Engineering $66,834 4% of grads
Biology & Biomedical $64,268 6% of grads

Mobility & Retention

Opportunity Insights

Washington's colleges post an average mobility rate of 1.4%, which puts the state in the 37th percentile nationally. 8% of students arrive from bottom-quintile households. Cross-class social connectedness averages 1.38, a proxy for the networks that help graduates convert a degree into mobility.

MOBILITY RATE

1.4%

▼ -0.3pp vs natl

Bottom 20% → Top 20%
LOW-INCOME ACCESS

8%

From bottom quintile
SUCCESS RATE

20%

If bottom 20% enroll
FIRST-GENERATION

38%

First-gen students
TALENT RETENTION

76%

First-year retention
SOCIAL CAPITAL

1.38

Economic connectedness

Mobility Leaders — Institutions Driving Upward Movement

Labor Market Alignment

Washington's Social Sciences programs produce graduates earning $65,635, +27.3% relative to the national median. Humanities graduates, however, earn 8% below the national median, a possible sign the state produces more of these degrees than its labor market absorbs.

Humanities
21% of enrollment

$47,438 -8% vs natl

33 schools
Business
15% of enrollment

$53,713 +4.1% vs natl

48 schools
Healthcare
13% of enrollment

$52,586 +2% vs natl

41 schools
Social Sciences
10% of enrollment

$65,635 +27.3% vs natl

20 schools
Technology
10% of enrollment

$58,389 +13.2% vs natl

24 schools
Sciences
8% of enrollment

$65,583 +27.2% vs natl

17 schools

Overperforming Sectors

Social Sciences: +27.3% vs national earnings ($65,635)

Sciences: +27.2% vs national earnings ($65,583)

Technology: +13.2% vs national earnings ($58,389)

Potential Oversupply Signals

Humanities: -8% vs national — wage pressure suggests oversupply

Institutional Landscape

Washington's higher education system includes 2 research-oriented, 9 specialized, 3 access-oriented, 45 regional institutions. Each group plays a different role in the state's outcomes.

2

Research Universities
45

Regional Universities
3

Access-Oriented Institutions
9

Specialized Institutions

Research Universities

Access-Oriented Institutions

Cost & Access Corridors

63% of Washington's colleges charge under $15K net. Graduates of those schools average $49,441 at 10 years. At the premium end, 2 schools charge over $40K, with graduates averaging $79,878.

NET PRICE UNDER $15K

33

63% of schools
Avg earnings: $49,441
NET PRICE $15K–$25K

10

19% of schools
Avg earnings: $55,549
NET PRICE $25K–$40K

7

13% of schools
Avg earnings: $66,702
NET PRICE OVER $40K

2

4% of schools
Avg earnings: $79,878

Top Earners

Schools ranked by median graduate earnings 10 years after enrolling.

Higher education in Washington

Washington is home to 91 colleges and universities, from 42 public institutions to 26 private nonprofits. University of Washington-Seattle Campus anchors the public system, and graduates across the state earn a median of about $49,225 ten years after enrolling.

Higher education clusters around Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma, and the strongest programs by enrollment are Health Professions, Business & Marketing and Computer Science & IT. We rank every school here by what its graduates actually earn and how far they move up — not by reputation or sticker price.

What college costs in Washington

The average net price — what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — runs about $17,663 a year across Washington. University of Washington-Tacoma Campus stands out on return: strong graduate earnings against a comparatively low net price. Public universities and in-state tuition remain the clearest path to a low-debt degree, while need-based aid can make selective private schools surprisingly competitive.

Most Affordable Schools

Jobs & industries

Washington's economy leans on technology & aerospace, cloud computing and agriculture, which shapes which degrees pay off fastest in-state. Programs in Health Professions, Business & Marketing and Computer Science & IT feed directly into those employers, and graduates who stay in-region benefit from established hiring pipelines and alumni networks.

Licensure & transfer

Licensure and articulation are state-specific: nursing, teaching, law, and the health professions are regulated at the Washington level, so an in-state program is often the most direct route to practicing here. Community-college transfer agreements with public universities can also cut the cost of a four-year degree substantially.

Cost vs Return

What graduates in Washington earn relative to what they pay for college.

MEDIAN EARNINGS (10YR)

$49,225

▲ +$5,388 vs natl

AVG NET PRICE

$17,663

▲ $-413 vs natl

EARNINGS / COST RATIO

2.8x

Return per dollar invested

Best Value Schools

Is Washington Right for You?

Washington is a strong fit if you want to build a career in technology & aerospace and cloud computing, value in-state tuition, or plan to work in the region after graduation. Use the rankings and filters below to weigh earnings, cost, and mobility for every school in the state.

Every figure on this page is derived from public federal data and read within its regional and economic context. Information Gain Policy →

Related Rankings

Top Schools

DigiPen Institute of Technology · WA Gonzaga University · WA University of Washington-Seattle Campus · WA University of Washington-Tacoma Campus · WA University of Washington-Bothell Campus · WA Seattle University · WA

FAQ

How many colleges are in Washington?

There are 91 colleges and universities in Washington in our dataset — 42 public, 26 private nonprofit.

What is the highest-earning college in Washington?

By median graduate earnings 10 years out, DigiPen Institute of Technology leads, followed by schools like Gonzaga University and University of Washington-Seattle Campus.

How much does college cost in Washington?

The average net price — tuition and living costs after grants — is about $17,663 per year. In-state public tuition is typically the lowest-cost path.

What are the best-paying career fields in Washington?

Washington's economy is anchored by technology & aerospace, cloud computing and agriculture, so degrees feeding those industries tend to pay off fastest in-state.

Is it worth going to college in Washington?

For most students, yes — especially at in-state public universities and high-value private schools. University of Washington-Tacoma Campus, for example, pairs strong earnings with a low net price. Weigh earnings against net price using the data on this page.

All 91 schools in Washington

Data Behind This Page Updated 2026

91 institutions in Washington

2026 Last updated

100% Public / federal sources

Source datasets

Methodology

States are graded on graduate earnings, social mobility, completion, and cost — each drawn from federal data and Opportunity Insights research, then normalized into a single Outcomes Index (0–100).

See the full methodology and weights →

Confidence notes

Earnings, completion, and debt figures come from federal administrative records — tax data and student-aid filings — not surveys or self-reports, the highest-confidence tier of education data available.
Social-mobility estimates are drawn from de-identified tax records covering more than 30 million students (Opportunity Insights).
Where an institution is missing a metric, it is excluded from that metric rather than imputed, so averages are never inflated by guesses.

Limitations

Federal earnings data primarily cover students who received federal financial aid; outcomes for non-aided students may differ.
Earnings are measured roughly ten years after enrollment, so they describe how earlier cohorts fared — historical outcomes, not guarantees of future results.
An institution's field-of-study mix affects raw earnings; scores reflect measured outcomes and are not fully major-adjusted unless explicitly noted.
Net price is an average; the actual cost a given student pays varies widely by family income.

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