Middle Class Affordability Rankings™ - State of Washington

Most Affordable Colleges for Washington Residents for 2026

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Which colleges are most affordable for Washington residents ? The answer may surprise you.
These rankings of the most affordable colleges for Washington residents are based on the estimated net price for a "typical" middle class family living in the state of Washington.
Note: Net price is the actual cost of the school paid by the student and family, after factoring in merit and grant aid from the college federal programs and work study.The net prices displayed in these rankings are College Raptor's estimates.

“Typical” middle class family values used in the Net Price estimates on this page are:

  • Number of people in family: 4
  • Number of students in college: 1
  • Total income: $80,000
  • Total assets: $50,000
Washington
Rank Institution Typical Net Price Sticker Price % Savings Undergraduates Est. Median SAT Acceptance Rate Save
1 Northwest Indian College 10600 14000 0.2449 696 0 0
#1

#1 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Northwest Indian College
Bellingham, WA

Sticker Price

$14,000

% Savings

24%

Undergraduates

696

Est. Median SAT

--

Acceptance Rate

--

2 Eastern Washington University 11600 28600 0.5966 6,951 1055 0.9437
#2

#2 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Eastern Washington University
Cheney, WA

Sticker Price

$28,600

% Savings

60%

Undergraduates

6,951

Est. Median SAT

1,055

Acceptance Rate

94.4 %

3 University of Washington-Seattle Campus 11900 27200 0.5632 40,754 1391 0.3915
#3

#3 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Seattle, WA

Sticker Price

$27,200

% Savings

56%

Undergraduates

40,754

Est. Median SAT

1,391

Acceptance Rate

39.2 %

4 University of Washington-Bothell Campus 16300 29900 0.4551 5,472 1214 0.906
#4

#4 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

University of Washington-Bothell Campus
Bothell, WA

Sticker Price

$29,900

% Savings

46%

Undergraduates

5,472

Est. Median SAT

1,214

Acceptance Rate

90.6 %

5 Western Washington University 16500 31600 0.4787 13,752 1218 0.9325
#5

#5 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA

Sticker Price

$31,600

% Savings

48%

Undergraduates

13,752

Est. Median SAT

1,218

Acceptance Rate

93.3 %

6 Central Washington University 17300 22800 0.2388 10,033 1060 0.9061
#6

#6 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA

Sticker Price

$22,800

% Savings

24%

Undergraduates

10,033

Est. Median SAT

1,060

Acceptance Rate

90.6 %

7 Whitman College 19200 85800 0.7759 1,561 1399 0.3815
#7

#7 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Whitman College
Walla Walla, WA

Sticker Price

$85,800

% Savings

78%

Undergraduates

1,561

Est. Median SAT

1,399

Acceptance Rate

38.2 %

8 Northwest University 19300 47500 0.5936 695 1163 0.8097
#8

#8 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Northwest University
Kirkland, WA

Sticker Price

$47,500

% Savings

59%

Undergraduates

695

Est. Median SAT

1,163

Acceptance Rate

81.0 %

9 The Evergreen State College 20500 31800 0.3568 2,303 1184 0.9638
#9

#9 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

The Evergreen State College
Olympia, WA

Sticker Price

$31,800

% Savings

36%

Undergraduates

2,303

Est. Median SAT

1,184

Acceptance Rate

96.4 %

10 Washington State University 22900 36800 0.3783 14,346 1139 0.8797
#10

#10 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Washington State University
Pullman, WA

Sticker Price

$36,800

% Savings

38%

Undergraduates

14,346

Est. Median SAT

1,139

Acceptance Rate

88.0 %

11 Whitworth University 24700 69900 0.6467 1,939 1216 0.8677
#11

#11 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Whitworth University
Spokane, WA

Sticker Price

$69,900

% Savings

65%

Undergraduates

1,939

Est. Median SAT

1,216

Acceptance Rate

86.8 %

12 Saint Martin's University 25000 67000 0.6271 1,210 1055 0.898
#12

#12 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA

Sticker Price

$67,000

% Savings

63%

Undergraduates

1,210

Est. Median SAT

1,055

Acceptance Rate

89.8 %

13 Seattle Pacific University 28200 62600 0.5496 1,776 1188 0.8339
#13

#13 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Seattle Pacific University
Seattle, WA

Sticker Price

$62,600

% Savings

55%

Undergraduates

1,776

Est. Median SAT

1,188

Acceptance Rate

83.4 %

14 Walla Walla University 28300 51100 0.4461 1,238 1159 0.604
#14

#14 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Walla Walla University
College Place, WA

Sticker Price

$51,100

% Savings

45%

Undergraduates

1,238

Est. Median SAT

1,159

Acceptance Rate

60.4 %

15 Pacific Lutheran University 29800 71200 0.5809 2,446 1179 0.78
#15

#15 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA

Sticker Price

$71,200

% Savings

58%

Undergraduates

2,446

Est. Median SAT

1,179

Acceptance Rate

78.0 %

16 City University of Seattle 35100 45400 0.227 1,180 0 0.9025
#16

#16 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

City University of Seattle
Seattle, WA

Sticker Price

$45,400

% Savings

23%

Undergraduates

1,180

Est. Median SAT

--

Acceptance Rate

90.3 %

17 Cornish College of the Arts 35300 75100 0.53 502 0 0.7046
#17

#17 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Cornish College of the Arts
Seattle, WA

Sticker Price

$75,100

% Savings

53%

Undergraduates

502

Est. Median SAT

--

Acceptance Rate

70.5 %

18 Seattle University 38500 64700 0.4048 4,103 1256 0.7703
#18

#18 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Seattle University
Seattle, WA

Sticker Price

$64,700

% Savings

40%

Undergraduates

4,103

Est. Median SAT

1,256

Acceptance Rate

77.0 %

19 University of Puget Sound 39400 83500 0.5282 1,594 1292 0.7225
#19

#19 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, WA

Sticker Price

$83,500

% Savings

53%

Undergraduates

1,594

Est. Median SAT

1,292

Acceptance Rate

72.3 %

20 Gonzaga University 68600 68700 0.0013 5,281 1303 0.8169
#20

#20 Middle Class Affordability Rankings

Gonzaga University
Spokane, WA

Sticker Price

$68,700

% Savings

0%

Undergraduates

5,281

Est. Median SAT

1,303

Acceptance Rate

81.7 %

School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.

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