Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Washington
Colleges ranked by how many years of extra earnings, above a high school graduate’s, cover four years of net price.
Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in Washington13 schools
13 schools qualify, ranked by payback years.
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 median earnings ten years after enrolling and a net price from federal data (College Scorecard), and those earnings are above a high school graduate’s ($48,360 a year: median weekly earnings of $930 for full-time workers with a high school diploma, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Payback years = four years of net price ÷ (earnings − a high school graduate’s earnings). Ordered by payback years, fewest first. A simple estimate: it leaves out interest, taxes and earnings growth.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Seattle, WA · PublicHonor Roll#1 in Washington
- Pays back in about 1.9 years
- Earnings $78,466 ten years out
- 2
Washington State University
Pullman, WA · PublicTop 16% for earnings
- Pays back in about 2.9 years
- Earnings $68,905 ten years out
- 3
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA · Private nonprofitTop 17% for earnings
- Pays back in about 4.2 years
- Earnings $66,990 ten years out
- 4
Gonzaga University
Spokane, WA · Private nonprofitTop 6% for graduation
- Pays back in about 4.6 years
- Earnings $78,892 ten years out
- 5
Seattle University
Seattle, WA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for earnings
- Pays back in about 5.2 years
- Earnings $75,272 ten years out
- 6
DigiPen Institute of Technology
Redmond, WA · Private for-profitTop 8% for earnings
- Pays back in about 5.6 years
- Earnings $79,878 ten years out
- 7
Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA · PublicTop 24% for earnings
- Pays back in about 6.0 years
- Earnings $62,569 ten years out
- 8
Seattle Pacific University
Seattle, WA · Private nonprofitTop 20% for earnings
- Pays back in about 6.1 years
- Earnings $64,506 ten years out
- 9Tie
Walla Walla University
College Place, WA · Private nonprofit#6 in Washington
- Pays back in about 6.9 years
- Earnings $61,885 ten years out
- 9Tie
Whitman College
Walla Walla, WA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#2 in Washington
- Pays back in about 6.9 years
- Earnings $67,589 ten years out
- 11
University of Puget Sound
Tacoma, WA · Private nonprofitTop 15% for earnings
- Pays back in about 7.2 years
- Earnings $69,594 ten years out
- 12
Whitworth University
Spokane, WA · Private nonprofitTop 20% for graduation
- Pays back in about 10.4 years
- Earnings $58,561 ten years out
- 13
Northwest University
Kirkland, WA · Private nonprofitTop 20% for graduation
- Pays back in about 13.6 years
- Earnings $54,914 ten years out
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | $14,091 | $14,615 | $78,466 | 85% |
| Washington State University | $14,971 | $19,500 | $68,905 | 61% |
| Pacific Lutheran University | $19,589 | $22,578 | $66,990 | 69% |
| Gonzaga University | $35,119 | $24,454 | $78,892 | 86% |
| Seattle University | $34,662 | $19,883 | $75,272 | 76% |
| DigiPen Institute of Technology | $44,446 | $27,000 | $79,878 | 61% |
| Western Washington University | $21,193 | $18,500 | $62,569 | 65% |
| Seattle Pacific University | $24,488 | $24,000 | $64,506 | 62% |
| Walla Walla University | $23,329 | $26,842 | $61,885 | 60% |
| Whitman College | $33,313 | $18,437 | $67,589 | 81% |
| University of Puget Sound | $38,394 | $25,000 | $69,594 | 68% |
| Whitworth University | $26,534 | $25,000 | $58,561 | 71% |
| Northwest University | $22,288 | $20,891 | $54,914 | 71% |
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 3
- Arkansas 5
- California 54
- Colorado 6
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 15
- Georgia 9
- Illinois 19
- Indiana 19
- Iowa 15
- Kansas 3
- Kentucky 5
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 7
- Maryland 14
- Massachusetts 38
- Michigan 19
- Minnesota 17
- Missouri 13
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 4
- New Jersey 16
- New York 67
- North Carolina 15
- Ohio 28
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 9
- Pennsylvania 54
- Rhode Island 8
- South Carolina 6
- Tennessee 7
- Texas 17
- Utah 4
- Vermont 5
- Virginia 19
- Wisconsin 13