UW-Seattle vs. Seattle U vs. Gonzaga

Should I go to University of Washington Seattle Campus or Seattle University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UW-Seattle or Seattle U is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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University of Washington Seattle Campus vs. Seattle University vs. Gonzaga University comparison
University of Washington Seattle Campus Seattle University Gonzaga University College 4
University of Washington Seattle Campus Seattle University Gonzaga University
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Overview

 UW-Seattle Seattle U Gonzaga
Location Seattle, WA Seattle, WA Spokane, WA
Setting Large City Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 55,620 7,182 7,306
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #85 #129 #169
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic Roman Catholic -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website washington.edu seattleu.edu gonzaga.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 UW-Seattle Seattle U Gonzaga
Tuition (In State) $11,524 $53,235 $52,540
Tuition (Out of State) $40,878 $53,235 $52,540
Room & Board $17,982 $14,748 $15,080
Avg Net Price $11,023 $37,103 $40,295
Avg Grant Aid $14,390 $31,727 $29,150
% Receiving Grant Aid 43% 100% 100%

Admission

 UW-Seattle Seattle U Gonzaga
Applied 62,428 8,976 9,530
Admitted 26,552 6,826 7,239
Acceptance Rate 42.5% 76% 76%
Enrolled % 26.4% 15.4% 17.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.62 3.67
Typical High School Grades A- B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/33 23/30 26/31
SAT Range 1200/1453 1130/1350 1220/1410
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 16, 2025 Jan 15, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 UW-Seattle Seattle U Gonzaga
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (29%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 UW-Seattle Seattle U Gonzaga
Graduation Rate 80% 71% 83%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,800 $60,400 $61,600
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 75% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,000 $24,500 $26,394
Median Loan Payment $155 $253 $272

Diversity

 UW-Seattle Seattle U Gonzaga
% Men 13% 14% 11%
% Women 16% 28% 19%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High Low
HBCU No No No
% White 42% 44% 72%
% Black 3% 3% 1%
% Hispanic 7% 9% 10%
% Native American 0% 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 7% 6%
% International 15% 11% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 9% 3%

Students

 UW-Seattle Seattle U Gonzaga
% In-State 60% 54% 48%
% Out-of-State 24% 43% 48%

Campus

 UW-Seattle Seattle U Gonzaga
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No No
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Comparable Facts

  • University of Washington Seattle Campus is larger than than Seattle U based on total student enrollment (55,620 students vs. 7,182 students)

UW-Seattle vs. Seattle U Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UW-Seattle or Seattle U?

  • Seattle University is 361.9% more expensive to attend than UW-Seattle for in-state tuition ($53,235.00 vs. $11,524.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.2% higher at Seattle U than University of Washington Seattle Campus ($53,235.00 vs. $40,878.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Washington Seattle Campus than Seattle U ($11,023 vs. $37,103)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Seattle University are 21.9% lower than costs at University of Washington Seattle Campus ($14,748 vs. $17,982)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Seattle University than University of Washington Seattle Campus (100% vs. 43%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Seattle University students is 120.5% larger than aid received University of Washington Seattle Campus ($31,727 vs. $14,390)

UW-Seattle vs. Seattle U Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UW-Seattle or Seattle U? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Seattle U or UW-Seattle .

  • The average SAT score at University of Washington Seattle Campus (1258) is 66 points higher than at Seattle U (1192)
  • Incoming UW-Seattle students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Seattle U (27)
  • Accepted freshman UW-Seattle students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Seattle U (3.62)
  • Seattle U has a higher acceptance rate (76%) than UW-Seattle (42.5%)

UW-Seattle vs. Seattle U Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UW-Seattle or Seattle U? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Seattle U and UW-Seattle.

  • The graduation rate at UW-Seattle is higher than Seattle University (80% vs. 71%)
  • Graduates from University of Washington Seattle Campus earn on average $5,400 more per year than Seattle U graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $60,400)
  • University of Washington Seattle Campus students graduate with a $9,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Seattle U graduates. ($15,000 vs. $24,500)
  • UW-Seattle graduates are paying $98 less per month on federal student loans than Seattle U graduates. ($155 vs. $253)
  • More UW-Seattle graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Seattle U students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 75%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/