Washington · Getting in
Most selective colleges in Washington
The short answer
The most selective four-year colleges in Washington are Whitman College (40% admitted), UW Seattle (42% admitted) and DigiPen Institute of Technology (64% admitted), by acceptance rate.
Selective here means a low acceptance rate: the share of applicants the college admitted. A low rate says how many people a college turns away, not how good a fit it is for you. Each row also shows the average price after grants.
The list (10 of 18)
Four-year colleges in Washington with 500 or more undergraduates, lowest acceptance rate first. The list shows 10 of the 18 colleges with an acceptance rate on file. Rates come from IPEDS (fall 2024) for 8 colleges and each college's own Common Data Set (fall 2025) for 2 colleges.
- Whitman College 40% admitted Walla Walla, WA · Average price after grants: $29,486 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
- University of Washington 42% admitted Seattle, WA · Average price after grants: $13,663 a year in-state, about $44,897 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
- DigiPen Institute of Technology 64% admitted Redmond, WA · Average price after grants: $42,428 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- University of Puget Sound 72% admitted Tacoma, WA · Average price after grants: $32,507 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Seattle University 77% admitted Seattle, WA · Average price after grants: $34,324 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Pacific Lutheran University 78% admitted Tacoma, WA · Average price after grants: $20,652 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Gonzaga University 82% admitted Spokane, WA · Average price after grants: $32,750 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- University of Washington-Tacoma Campus 83% admitted Tacoma, WA · Average price after grants: $11,900 a year in-state, about $43,134 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Northwest University 83% admitted Kirkland, WA · Average price after grants: $22,071 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Seattle Pacific University 83% admitted Seattle, WA · Average price after grants: $25,419 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
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What are the most selective colleges in Washington?
The most selective four-year colleges in Washington are Whitman College (40% admitted), UW Seattle (42% admitted) and DigiPen Institute of Technology (64% admitted), by acceptance rate.
How many colleges on this list admit fewer than half of applicants?
2 of the 10 colleges listed admitted fewer than half of their applicants.
How recent are these acceptance rates?
Each row shows its year. Rates come from IPEDS, the federal college survey, for students who applied for fall 2024, or from the college's own Common Data Set for fall 2025 where that is newer.
Numbers change each year when colleges and the Department of Education publish new data. Confirm costs and admission rules with the college before you apply.