Top Affordable Colleges in Washington State unisearch

Washington State has many great options for an affordable college education. Whether you are a Washington student taking advantage of in-state tuition or a student with a strong academic background earning merit scholarships, we’ve got great options for you. Let’s get into the best affordable colleges in Washington:

Affordable in-state colleges

University of Washington – Seattle

The University of Washington is unique in its promise to its students AKA The Husky Promise. This is an initiative available to eligible Washington residents that guarantees their full tuition and fees will be covered. 

This campus is one of the three University of Washington has in the state, and this one is situated close to the Emerald City! So, it’s the perfect opportunity to see the sights while choosing from over 180 majors.

University of Washington – Bothell

While the annual fee breakdown for the Bothell campus is almost identical to the Seattle campus, there are differences between each of them. Bothell has fewer major options than Seattle, but 70% of undergraduates graduated debt-free! Whichever campus you choose, you can’t go wrong with a University of Washington education.

Western Washington University

At Western Washington University, over 60% of students are awarded financial aid packages! Incoming students that meet the criteria in the Washington House Bill 1079 and the Real Hope Act are eligible for resident tuition because Western upholds tuition equity. Western also offers a wide range of scholarships, such as the Multicultural Achievement Program Scholarship that awards $2,000-3,000 to students with a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. 

Best schools for merit aid

Gonzaga University

Almost 100% of incoming freshmen at Gonzaga are awarded a merit scholarship! First-year merit scholarships can range from $19,000 – $27,000 per year based on the difficulty of curriculum, GPA, extracurriculars, recommendations, and the written portion of your application. That’s not including the other 10+ merit opportunities for incoming students, and even transfer students have four merit awards they can potentially win. 

Whitman College

When you apply to Whitman, you’re automatically considered for the Whitman Merit Scholarships, Garrett-Sherwood Scholarships, and the Eells Scholarship. Students can even find out how much aid you’ll be awarded before applying thanks to the Whitman Early Financial Aid Guarantee!
If you’re interested in a talent-based scholarship, Whitman encourages all their students to apply! These scholarships are offered in music, fine arts, theater and dance, and debate and forensics. In order to apply, be sure to polish off your resume or statement of purpose along with a work sample like a portfolio.

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