The Cheapest Colleges in Washington by Out of State Tuition for 2023
If you're looking for an affordable university in Washington but aren't a state resident, these are the least expensive out of state colleges to consider. Additionally, if you are a foreign citizen and cannot qualify for in-state tuition, these are the cheapest universities in Washington for international students.
Affordable doesn't simply mean finding a school with a low published out of state tuition. It's important to research the typical financial aid package offered by a school, the average net price actually paid and most importantly the quality of education you receive for your tuition dollar. Sometimes a school which appears cheap based on list price can be a poor relative value if it can't award competitive financial aid or doesn't offer a quality education. The list below is a ranking on published out of state tuition with no consideration of actual average price paid or academic quality of the school. Please see the CollegeCalc best value colleges in Washington list for a ranking which considers school quality and average net price.
The most affordable four year colleges in Washington are listed by one year's out of state tuition list price for the 2021/2022 school year.
What is the cheapest college in Washington? Leading the colleges list is Northwest Indian College in Bellingham with an out of state tuition of $3,564.
Academic Rating is a CollegeCalc rating of a college's overall academics and effectiveness. The score ranges from zero to one hundred, with fifty being the median for all eligible colleges. Dollar value is a measure of a school's academic rating compared with the average price paid by students. Colleges which are ranked "n/a" didn't report sufficient data to formulate a score. Learn more about our rating methodology.
All price data are reprinted from the U.S. Department of Education's 2021/2022 IPEDS Survey and reflect reported costs for the 2021/2022 academic year.
| College | Out of State Tuition | Rating | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
#21 Walla Walla UniversityCollege Place, Private Not For Profit |
$29,487 | NA | NA |
#22 Northwest UniversityKirkland, Private Not For Profit |
$33,500 | 63 | 81 |
#23 Cornish College of the ArtsSeattle, Private Not For Profit |
$33,956 | NA | NA |
#24 DigiPen Institute of TechnologyRedmond, Private For Profit |
$34,700 | NA | NA |
#25 Seattle Pacific UniversitySeattle, Private Not For Profit |
$35,100 | 63 | 86 |
#26 University of Washington Seattle CampusSeattle, Public Not For Profit |
$38,757 | 82 | 95 |
#27 University of Washington Bothell CampusBothell, Public Not For Profit |
$38,757 | 52 | 75 |
#28 University of Washington Tacoma CampusTacoma, Public Not For Profit |
$38,757 | 50 | 62 |
#29 Saint Martin's UniversityLacey, Private Not For Profit |
$40,210 | 53 | 61 |
#30 Whitworth UniversitySpokane, Private Not For Profit |
$46,350 | 60 | 75 |
#31 Pacific Lutheran UniversityTacoma, Private Not For Profit |
$46,816 | 61 | 73 |
#32 Gonzaga UniversitySpokane, Private Not For Profit |
$47,560 | 73 | 59 |
#33 Seattle UniversitySeattle, Private Not For Profit |
$48,510 | 75 | 67 |
#34 University of Puget SoundTacoma, Private Not For Profit |
$55,390 | 70 | 54 |
#35 Whitman CollegeWalla Walla, Private Not For Profit |
$55,560 | 82 | 76 |