The Best Washington Big Colleges

These are the top ranked large, public and private, four-year colleges in Washington as ranked by CollegeSimply. These schools all have total enrollment of 20,000 or more. Leading the list for 2027 is University of Washington Seattle Campus. Learn how the Best Large Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.

2 Results
Sort:
Washington Large Public Private 4 Year
University of Washington Seattle Campus Campus

credit : Joe Mabel / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Seattle, WA
  • 3.5 | 6 reviews
  • 56,997 total enrollment

UW is a highly selective public university known for undergraduate computer science, engineering, and oceanography. The urban campus sits beside Portage Bay and Lake Washington.

#10 Best Public Universities in America 9/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1200-1453
  • Avg GPA 3.82
  • Acceptance Rate 39%
  • Net Price $11,784
Details
Washington State University Campus

credit : Dai Lygad / license

  • Public 4 Year
  • Pullman, WA
  • 4.3 | 3 reviews
  • 25,685 total enrollment

WSU is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, engineering, and communications. Pullman is a classic college town set in the Palouse region of eastern Washington.

#3 Best Public Universities in Washington 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1210
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 87%
  • Net Price $18,171
Details