The cost of college in Washington — and what it pays back
Across the 64 Washington institutions we profile, the median net price — what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — is $12,027/yr, $4,875 below the $16,902 national median. Graduates earn a median $47,799 ten years after entry (above the $43,549 national median), and 30 of the 64 schools clear their full cost on institution-wide earnings. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
How Washington's 64 colleges split by ROI verdict
Verdicts: payback under 5 / 10 / 20 / over 20 years (or none).
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Washington-Tacoma Campus | $10,163 | $78,466 | 1.4 yrs |
| University of Washington-Bothell Campus | $12,319 | $78,466 | 1.6 yrs |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | $14,091 | $78,466 | 1.9 yrs |
| Bellevue College | $11,430 | $56,310 | 2.9 yrs |
| Washington State University | $14,971 | $68,905 | 2.9 yrs |
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Indian College | $3,136 | $35,447 | no payback |
| Grays Harbor College | $4,783 | $40,865 | no payback |
| Spokane Community College | $5,473 | $41,984 | no payback |
| Bellingham Technical College | $5,997 | $49,748 | 17.3 yrs |
| South Seattle College | $6,004 | $44,486 | no payback |
How many Washington colleges actually pay for themselves?
30 of 64 — 47% of the Washington institutions we profile clear their full net cost on institution-wide earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The rest need a high-paying major to pay off; the school average alone does not do it.
Do Washington graduates out-earn the national median?
Washington graduates report a median $47,799 ten years after entry, $4,250 above the $43,549 national median. Earnings track the local labour market and the mix of fields the state's colleges graduate, not the state border itself.