Washington

Average student debt in Washington — 22 colleges, and what their graduates earn

Every Washington university with published federal figures, ordered by how fast the debt clears. The typical graded US university clears its debt in 1.3 years on median earnings of $57,146 against $22,500 of debt.

#UniversityGradeYou borrowMonthlyYou earnDebt clears in
1 Cascadia College Washington A $6,368 $72 $54,133 0.4 yrs
2 Seattle University Washington A $19,883 $226 $75,272 0.6 yrs
3 Gonzaga University Washington B $24,454 $278 $78,892 0.6 yrs
4 Washington State University Washington B $19,500 $222 $68,905 0.7 yrs
5 Washington State University at Vancouver Washington B $19,500 $222 $68,905 0.7 yrs
6 Whitman College Washington B $18,437 $210 $67,589 0.7 yrs
7 DigiPen Institute of Technology Washington B $27,000 $307 $79,878 0.7 yrs
8 Western Washington University Washington B $18,500 $210 $62,569 0.8 yrs
9 Pacific Lutheran University Washington B $22,578 $257 $66,990 0.8 yrs
10 University of Puget Sound Washington B $25,000 $284 $69,594 0.8 yrs
11 City University of Seattle Washington B $25,000 $284 $69,460 0.8 yrs
12 Central Washington University Washington B $19,500 $222 $61,580 0.9 yrs
13 Seattle Pacific University Washington B $24,000 $273 $64,506 1 yrs
14 Saint Martin's University Washington C $22,500 $256 $62,092 1 yrs
15 Eastern Washington University Washington C $19,500 $222 $57,897 1.1 yrs
16 Walla Walla University Washington C $26,842 $305 $61,885 1.2 yrs
17 Bastyr University Washington C $13,817 $157 $49,364 1.4 yrs
18 Everett Community College Washington D $10,417 $118 $45,434 1.8 yrs
19 Antioch University - Seattle Washington D $23,501 $267 $51,541 2 yrs
20 Columbia Basin College Washington D $14,829 $169 $46,680 2.1 yrs
21 Seattle Central College Washington F $12,000 $136 $43,307 3.2 yrs
22 Evergreen State College Washington F $20,500 $233 $45,320 3.5 yrs

In-state tuition is the lever that moves this most

The debt column is shaped far more by residency and institutional aid than by anything else. If you are applying from another state or another country, the figures here understate what you would borrow — check the university's own net price for your situation.

Read the salary next to the debt, never alone

Two universities in this state with identical graduate salaries can be two grades apart, because one leaves students owing twice as much. The payback column is the one that combines both.

Questions

Which university in Washington pays back fastest?
Cascadia College — $54,133 median earnings against $6,368 of debt, clearing in about 0.4 years.
How much do US students typically borrow?
Across the 810 universities we grade, median debt at graduation is $22,500 — about $256 a month on the standard ten-year federal plan.
Can scholarships change these numbers?
Directly. Every award comes off the borrowing before you ever repay it, which shortens the payback on each university page. Each page lists the scholarships we hold for that institution.
All payback rankings Fastest payback Lowest debt Highest earnings Scholarships that cut the debt How we calculate this

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures cover students who received federal financial aid and blend every subject at each institution. Information only, not financial advice.