Affordable Colleges in Washington

All 56 colleges in Washington, ordered by average net price — what students actually pay per year after grants and scholarships, not the sticker price on the brochure.

The most affordable is Northwest Indian College at about $3,136 a year; the costliest here is DigiPen Institute of Technology at $44,446. A typical Washington school on this list lands near $11,430.

Cheapest first, that means Northwest Indian College, Grays Harbor College and Spokane Community College. A low average is not a low bill for everyone — aid depends on your family's income — but it is the right place to start looking.

Narrow it down

Every college in Washington, cheapest first · 56

Ranked by average net price per year after grants and scholarships — the figure beside each name, with the share of students on federal Pell grants where the school reports it. Schools that report no net price are listed last.

Questions families ask

What is the most affordable college in Washington?
By average net price — what students actually pay per year after grants and scholarships — it is Northwest Indian College at about $3,136 a year. That is an average across all students there; your own cost depends on your family's income, so check the school's net price calculator.
What is the difference between sticker price and net price?
Sticker price is the published tuition before any aid. Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships are subtracted — not loans, which you pay back. Net price is usually far lower, and at expensive private colleges the gap can be tens of thousands a year, which is why every figure on this page is net price rather than tuition.
How much does college in Washington cost on average?
Across the 56 colleges in Washington that report a figure, the middle of the range is about $11,430 a year after aid, running from $3,136 to $44,446.
Are community colleges cheaper in Washington?
On this data, yes. The typical two-year college in Washington has a net price around $9,132 a year, against about $11,795 at the typical four-year school — a difference of roughly $2,663 a year. Credits often transfer, so two years at a community college can cut the cost of a four-year degree substantially.
What does the Pell grant percentage mean?
It is the share of undergraduates at that school receiving a federal Pell grant — need-based aid that does not have to be repaid. A higher share usually means the school enrols more students from lower-income families. Across the colleges listed here it runs from 9% to 67%, with a middle of about 25%. It is the only aid figure the Department of Education publishes per school, so it is the only one shown.

Which of these actually fits you?

A list is a starting point, not an answer. Two minutes of questions gives you a shortlist ranked on cost, academics, size and location — with the reaches labelled honestly.

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