Data shows that students paid $12,883 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $362 more than the previous school year.
Among the 86 institutions providing full disclosure in the state, Whitman College stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $58,622. The University of Puget Sound followed with an average of $57,626 per year. Northwest Indian College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $3,969.
Currently there are 90 higher education institutions in Washington.
At the time, at least $376.5 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started college in Washington. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $82.2 million.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Of the 90 institutions in Washington, four did not provide detailed data on tuition fees, including Bastyr University, Antioch University-Seattle, and City University of Seattle.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Average Tuition Fees | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Whitman College | $58,622 | 1,493 |
| University of Puget Sound | $57,626 | 1,712 |
| Seattle University | $51,324 | 4,046 |
| Pacific Lutheran University | $50,928 | 2,301 |
| Gonzaga University | $50,735 | 5,084 |
| Whitworth University | $48,990 | 2,047 |
| Perry Technical Institute | $47,664 | 879 |
| Saint Martin's University | $42,220 | 1,365 |
| Seattle Pacific University | $37,158 | 2,432 |
| Cornish College of the Arts | $36,844 | 443 |
| DigiPen Institute of Technology | $36,100 | 1,067 |
| Northwest University | $35,000 | 720 |
| Seattle Film Institute | $33,000 | 69 |
| Walla Walla University | $31,758 | 1,300 |
| Divers Institute of Technology | $27,500 | 231 |
| Academy of Interactive Entertainment | $23,450 | 65 |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | $20,384 | 36,213 |
| Carrington College-Spokane | $19,958 | 298 |
| Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute Seattle | $19,728 | 137 |
| Heritage University | $19,500 | 796 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Richland | $19,460 | 261 |
| Elite Cosmetology, Barber & Spa Academy | $19,200 | 124 |
| Victoria's Academy of Cosmetology | $19,000 | 19 |
| Fosbre Academy of Hair Design | $18,475 | 85 |
| Northwest College of Art & Design | $18,100 | 119 |
| Summit Salon Academy | $18,000 | 107 |
| Pima Medical Institute-Seattle | $17,333 | 474 |
| Pima Medical Institute-Renton | $17,333 | 551 |
| KaiStar | $17,100 | 210 |
| Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building | $16,800 | 62 |
| Stylemaster College of Hair Design | $16,500 | 39 |
| Great Northern University | $16,500 | 35 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Spokane | $16,460 | 185 |
| Centralia Beauty College | $16,100 | 80 |
| Glen Dow Academy of Hair Design | $15,451 | 100 |
| The Evergreen State College | $15,356 | 1,851 |
| Washington State University | $15,102 | 22,612 |
| University of Washington-Tacoma Campus | $13,040 | 4,083 |
| University of Washington-Bothell Campus | $12,518 | 5,192 |
| Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Shoreline | $12,287 | 88 |
| Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education | $12,210 | 1,086 |
| Evergreen Beauty and Barber College-Everett | $12,188 | 766 |
| Western Washington University | $12,011 | 13,801 |
| Pacific Northwest Christian College | $11,350 | 24 |
| Northwest HVAC/R Training Center | $10,725 | 35 |
| International Beauty Education Center | $10,640 | 92 |
| Central Washington University | $9,698 | 8,743 |
| Eastern Washington University | $9,068 | 7,604 |
| International Air and Hospitality Academy | $8,925 | 133 |
| Faith International University | $8,685 | 177 |
| Studio Beauty School | $8,059 | 88 |
| Aveda Institute Portland-Vancouver Campus | $7,800 | 113 |
| Columbia Basin College | $6,048 | 6,192 |
| Clover Park Technical College | $5,909 | 2,788 |
| Renton Technical College | $5,793 | 3,072 |
| Bates Technical College | $5,418 | 4,133 |
| Whatcom Community College | $5,388 | 3,340 |
| Walla Walla Community College | $5,273 | 2,662 |
| Grays Harbor College | $5,116 | 1,475 |
| North Seattle College | $5,083 | 4,675 |
| Tacoma Community College | $5,026 | 5,502 |
| Yakima Valley College | $5,013 | 3,279 |
| South Puget Sound Community College | $4,995 | 3,788 |
| Wenatchee Valley College | $4,988 | 2,529 |
| Centralia College | $4,911 | 2,277 |
| Seattle Central College | $4,895 | 4,476 |
| South Seattle College | $4,870 | 4,901 |
| Skagit Valley College | $4,843 | 3,860 |
| Lake Washington Institute of Technology | $4,824 | 3,150 |
| Cascadia College | $4,793 | 1,844 |
| Big Bend Community College | $4,779 | 1,736 |
| Clark College | $4,755 | 6,593 |
| Edmonds College | $4,633 | 5,753 |
| Pierce College District | $4,546 | 8,635 |
| Shoreline Community College | $4,484 | 4,418 |
| Peninsula College | $4,482 | 1,583 |
| Highline College | $4,468 | 4,684 |
| Green River College | $4,448 | 6,252 |
| Lower Columbia College | $4,399 | 2,435 |
| Bellevue College | $4,386 | 10,617 |
| Olympic College | $4,313 | 4,905 |
| Everett Community College | $4,266 | 6,054 |
| Bellingham Technical College | $4,133 | 1,632 |
| Spokane Falls Community College | $4,010 | 3,795 |
| Spokane Community College | $3,996 | 6,502 |
| Northwest Indian College | $3,969 | 643 |
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
!RECEIVE ALERTS
DONATE
Alerts Sign-up