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Most affordable public universities in Washington

39 public universities in Washington report net price data, ranging from $6,216 at the lowest to higher costs at more selective schools. The median net price across these is $11,023. Washington's public universities cost about the same as the national average for the kind. The list below shows the most affordable options, ranked by net price.

Median net price in Washington

$11,023

National median for public universities

$10,692

public universities reporting in Washington

39

The most affordable public universities in Washington, ranked by net price

1

Clover Park Technical College

WA

Net price

$6,216

Receive grant aid

50%

2

Grays Harbor College

WA

Net price

$6,475

Receive grant aid

78%

3

Peninsula College

WA

Net price

$6,525

Receive grant aid

68%

4

Spokane Community College

WA

Net price

$6,773

Receive grant aid

63%

5

Net price

$7,517

Receive grant aid

48%

6

Renton Technical College

WA

Net price

$7,621

Receive grant aid

59%

7

Seattle Central College

WA

Net price

$8,093

Receive grant aid

85%

8

Skagit Valley College

WA

Net price

$8,365

Receive grant aid

49%

9

Lake Washington Institute of Technology

WA

Net price

$8,545

Receive grant aid

37%

10

South Seattle College

WA

Net price

$8,596

Receive grant aid

59%

11

Spokane Falls Community College

WA

Net price

$8,679

Receive grant aid

53%

12

Northwest Indian College

WA

Net price

$9,875

Receive grant aid

100%

13

University of Washington-Bothell Campus

WA

Net price

$10,013

Receive grant aid

46%

14

Columbia Basin College

WA

Net price

$10,348

Receive grant aid

60%

15

Lower Columbia College

WA

Net price

$10,613

Receive grant aid

92%

16

Walla Walla Community College

WA

Net price

$10,645

Receive grant aid

71%

17

Tacoma Community College

WA

Net price

$10,648

Receive grant aid

48%

18

Pierce College District

WA

Net price

$10,851

Receive grant aid

42%

19

North Seattle College

WA

Net price

$10,864

Receive grant aid

47%

20

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

WA

Net price

$11,023

Receive grant aid

43%

21

Olympic College

WA

Net price

$11,105

Receive grant aid

56%

22

University of Washington-Tacoma Campus

WA

Net price

$11,290

Receive grant aid

77%

23

Clark College

WA

Net price

$11,547

Receive grant aid

54%

24

Whatcom Community College

WA

Net price

$11,629

Receive grant aid

55%

25

Net price

$11,926

Receive grant aid

28%

What makes a school affordable here

In Washington, the most affordable public universities share two things in common. First, low published net prices reflect both reasonable sticker prices and meaningful institutional or state aid. Second, a high share of students receive grant aid. At Clover Park Technical College, the most affordable on this list, 50% of students receive grant aid. Net price reflects what a typical family actually pays, not the sticker price you see at first glance. A school with a $50,000 sticker price and a $10,000 net price is more affordable for most families than a school with a $20,000 sticker and a $19,000 net price.

Affordable colleges in Washington, other types

Affordable public universities in other states

Find your personalized cost

National rankings use publicly available federal cost data. Plug in your actual aid offer and family situation for a Worth-It Score that reflects your specific picture.

Affordability rankings use publicly available federal higher-ed cost data. Net price reflects the average cost a family pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from total cost of attendance, for the 2022-23 reporting year. See full methodology →