Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Washington
Colleges ranked by instructional spending for each full-time-equivalent student.
Colleges that spend the most on teaching in Washington13 schools
13 schools qualify, ranked by teaching spending per student.
How this list is made
- Schools in Washington.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has instructional spending per full-time-equivalent student from federal data (College Scorecard).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by instructional spending per student, highest first.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Seattle, WA · PublicHonor Roll#1 in Washington
- $24,064 on teaching per student
- 20 students per faculty member
- 2
Whitman College
Walla Walla, WA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#2 in Washington
- $23,597 on teaching per student
- 10 students per faculty member
- 3
University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, WA · Private nonprofitTop 15% for earnings
- $23,433 on teaching per student
- 10 students per faculty member
- 4
Seattle University
Seattle, WA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for earnings
- $18,739 on teaching per student
- 10 students per faculty member
- 5
Northwest University
Kirkland, WA · Private nonprofitTop 20% for graduation
- $15,820 on teaching per student
- 9 students per faculty member
- 6
Seattle Pacific University
Seattle, WA · Private nonprofitTop 20% for earnings
- $15,613 on teaching per student
- 13 students per faculty member
- 7
Gonzaga University
Spokane, WA · Private nonprofitTop 6% for graduation
- $15,138 on teaching per student
- 12 students per faculty member
- 8
Walla Walla University
College Place, WA · Private nonprofit#6 in Washington
- $14,372 on teaching per student
- 14 students per faculty member
- 9
Whitworth University
Spokane, WA · Private nonprofitTop 20% for graduation
- $13,375 on teaching per student
- 11 students per faculty member
- 10
Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA · PublicTop 24% for earnings
- $13,138 on teaching per student
- 18 students per faculty member
- 11
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA · Private nonprofitTop 17% for earnings
- $12,280 on teaching per student
- 12 students per faculty member
- 12
Washington State University
Pullman, WA · PublicTop 16% for earnings
- $11,856 on teaching per student
- 15 students per faculty member
- 13
DigiPen Institute of Technology
Redmond, WA · Private for-profitTop 8% for earnings
- $10,848 on teaching per student
- 11 students per faculty member
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | About $14,000 | $14,615 | $78,466 | 85% |
| Whitman College | About $33,000 | $18,437 | $67,589 | 81% |
| University of Puget Sound | About $38,000 | $25,000 | $69,594 | 68% |
| Seattle University | About $35,000 | $19,883 | $75,272 | 76% |
| Northwest University | About $22,000 | $20,891 | $54,914 | 71% |
| Seattle Pacific University | About $24,000 | $24,000 | $64,506 | 62% |
| Gonzaga University | About $35,000 | $24,454 | $78,892 | 86% |
| Walla Walla University | About $23,000 | $26,842 | $61,885 | 60% |
| Whitworth University | About $27,000 | $25,000 | $58,561 | 71% |
| Western Washington University | About $21,000 | $18,500 | $62,569 | 65% |
| Pacific Lutheran University | About $20,000 | $22,578 | $66,990 | 69% |
| Washington State University | About $15,000 | $19,500 | $68,905 | 61% |
| DigiPen Institute of Technology | About $44,000 | $27,000 | $79,878 | 61% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 5
- Arizona 4
- Arkansas 5
- California 64
- Colorado 7
- Connecticut 14
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 21
- Georgia 9
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 21
- Indiana 21
- Iowa 16
- Kansas 4
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 9
- Maryland 16
- Massachusetts 47
- Michigan 21
- Minnesota 19
- Missouri 20
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 5
- New Jersey 17
- New York 80
- North Carolina 18
- Ohio 33
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 62
- Rhode Island 9
- South Carolina 10
- Tennessee 10
- Texas 20
- Utah 4
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 22
- Wisconsin 15