According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Washington state hosts 86 postsecondary educational institutions. Of that number, 26 are four-year public institutions like the University of Washington and Central Washington University, and 23 are four-year nonprofits, including Antioch University and the Art Institute of Seattle. Of the two-year programs, 17 are public, and five are nonprofits; of the 15 for-profit institutions, 11 are four-year and four are two-year programs.
With this wealth of educational opportunities, Washington state is the center of education in the Pacific Northwest, providing students with a variety of training opportunities. Study anything from software development and cybersecurity to healthcare specializations such as chiropractic therapy and dentistry to journalism or linguistics. This page covers online colleges in Washington state, including the best online colleges and the most affordable programs. This is the place to begin your school search.
Before we dive into our list of the best online colleges in Washington for 2018, let's start with the state of higher education and online education in particular in Washington today.
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Overview of Online Colleges in Washington
A Brief Overview of Higher Education in Washington
The NCES listed 366,162 students in Washington's post-secondary institutions in 2016, outmatching Oregon numbers by over 100,000 enrollees and Idaho by over 200,000. Washington attracts students because of its reputation as a hub for tech and business. As such, institutions in Washington provide a broad range of degree focuses and technical training programs.[dataviz-stats public="43" non-profit="28" for-profit="15"]Like the rest of the country, tuition for schools in Washington have doubled since the 2004-2005 academic year. Tuition for a two-year, public program that in 2004 cost $2,482 cost $4,376 in 2017. Similarly, the $4,914 at a four-year Washington institution in 2004 is now $9,480 as of fall 2017. The University of Washington, the state's flagship university, today costs $10,974 for in-state tuition and $35,538 for out-of-state enrollees. Given the steep cost of an in-state quality education, Washington provides an impressive array of grants and scholarship opportunities.According to the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs, in 2016 Washington supplemented the tuition of over 102,000 students through programs such as the Washington State Need Grant program, College Bound scholarships, and work retraining programs. Crucially, the local state legislature just instated new student loan protections and set aside millions of dollars for tuition assistance in spring 2018. All of these endeavors provide more educational opportunities for state residents.
Higher Education in Washington
Featured Online Programs
The State of Online Higher Education in Washington
Of the more than 365,000 students enrolled in Washington state schools in 2015, 21.4% took at least one course online. Though the number of student enrollees in Washington is less than the national average, growth in online coursework exceeds national trends at 18.1% (compared to the nationwide growth of only 11%). Nearly half of the students enrolled in distance learning in Washington take all of their classes online. These statistics indicate online programs in Washington state will continue to increase in popularity.[dataviz-nces online="6.7" undergrad="5.9" in-state="32.8"]
Tuition Breaks for Out-of-State Students
Given the dramatic rise in tuition costs, schools and state governments are combining forces to provide funding opportunities and tuition forgiveness. Washington state belongs to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), a consortium of 16 western states and territories, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and U.S. Pacific Territories and Guam. This consortium coalesces resources in order to increase dialogue and degree opportunities between individual public institutions.The WICHE Out-of-state Tuition Discount Program, also known as the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), guarantees successful applicants a lower out-of-state tuition rate, at no more than 150% of in-state rates. That means a state resident of Idaho or Alaska could attend the University of Washington for, at most, $16,500 in tuition rates and fees, rather than the current out-of-state tuition rate of around $35,500. In the 2017-2018 academic year alone, WICHE saved over $400,000,000 for qualifying western state students. In their efforts to stem financial hardship, WICHE serves undergraduates, graduate students, and professional development programs, and is dedicated to bringing educational opportunities to members of all communities.
Best Online Colleges in Washington
Below, you will find our rankings of the best online four-year programs in Washington. Our profiles look at how schools approach online education and then list their services for distance students and their most popular, fully online degrees. After reviewing the best online schools in WA, explore our state resources, like a database of every college and university in Washington or our index of popular in-state scholarships.
Ranking Methodology
To determine the best online colleges in each state, we examined the factors most important to prospective students: Academic quality and reputation, online program strength, and cost and student aid. At the most basic level, we use the following formula to determine the best online colleges: Academic Quality + Online Offerings + Cost and Student Aid = Final Score. Of course, there's more to these calculations than meets the eye. Visit our methodology page to discover the data points that shape our formula and to learn more about the process we use to rank schools.
Most Affordable Online Colleges in Washington
Below, you'll find the most affordable online colleges in WA, sorted by annual tuition rates.
Affordability Methodology
Our list of the most affordable online schools in Washington is based on in-state yearly tuition, or annual tuition rates if a school does not differentiate between in-state and out-of-state students. Tuition rates are based on a full course load each semester or term. All colleges on the list offer at least one bachelor's degree completion program available entirely online.Those institutions with the lowest tuition are ranked highest, providing prospective students with a true list of the most affordable online colleges in WA.
College Graduate Outlook in Washington
Job Outlook for College Graduates in Washington
State unemployment in Washington during 2018 persists at between 4.5% to 4.8%, nearly 1% higher than the national average of 3.9%. Even so, the mean annual wage holds strong at $57,480 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These numbers indicate professional wages for employed Washingtonians are higher than averages of other states, even though more locals are battling unemployment. Through initiatives like WICHE and the WUE, Washington counters these employment issues by providing degrees in popular fields statewide.