Universities in Seattle, USA
- Rankings & Reviews -

For business studies see our separate ranking of business schools in Seattle, USA

Latest ranking updates related to universities in Seattle
  • 06 Mar, 2024: Latest Scimago Institutions Rankings from Scimago Institutions. 3 universities from Seattle appear in this ranking.
  • 25 Jan, 2024: Publication of THE World’s Most International Universities. University of Washington ranked #114.
  • 19 Dec, 2023: New edition of URAP World Ranking - University Ranking by Academic Performance. University of Washington in position #14.
  • 15 Dec, 2023: Publication of Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments - ShanghaiRanking (Sport Science). University of Washington ranked #101.

Seattle, often referred to by locals as the Emerald City, is a seaport city located in the state of Washington. It offers its residents a wide range of academic and work opportunities, as well as the chance to live in a city that’s known for being intellectually open, accessible by bike, and promoting music and art in its public spaces.


Rankings of universities in Seattle, USA 2024

Student satisfaction: 4.8 / 5.0 (4109 reviews)
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  • #16 
  • #25 
THE World University Rankings
[Published 27 September, 2023]
  • #46 
  • #45 
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education US College Rankings
[Published 14 September, 2021]
  • #21 
  • #63 
QS World University Rankings
[Published 27 June, 2023]
Show 33 more rankings of University of Washington and subject specific rankings for 13 subjects

  • #122 
  • #122 
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education US College Rankings
[Published 14 September, 2021]
  • #176 
  • #1201 
QS World University Rankings
[Published 27 June, 2023]
  • #520 
  • #4312 
Scimago Institutions Rankings
[Published 06 March, 2024]
Show 9 more rankings of Seattle University and subject specific rankings for 4 subjects

#3
USA

Cornish College of the Arts

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  • #673 
  • #698 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (Bachelors only)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #764 
  • #794 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (All Alumni)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #1441 
  • #8883 
Webometrics Ranking Web of Universities
[Published 31 July, 2023]


#4
USA

Seattle Central College

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  • #863 
  • #898 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (Bachelors only)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #966 
  • #1011 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (All Alumni)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #1057 
  • #6939 
Webometrics Ranking Web of Universities
[Published 31 July, 2023]

#5
USA

Antioch University Seattle

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  • #896 
  • #934 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (All Alumni)
[Published 11 November, 2021]

  • #352 
  • #352 
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education US College Rankings
[Published 14 September, 2021]
  • #528 
  • #4478 
Scimago Institutions Rankings
[Published 06 March, 2024]
  • #201 
  • #205 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (Bachelors only)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
Show 7 more rankings of Seattle Pacific University and subject specific rankings for 3 subjects

Highest subject rankings of universities in Seattle

Data Science QS World University Rankings By Subject
#7 
University of Washington
Social Sciences NTU Rankings by Subject
#8 
University of Washington
Geology QS World University Rankings By Subject
#10 
University of Washington
Education US News: Best Grad Schools (US)
#12 
University of Washington
Nursing & Health Care Payscale College Salary Report - Best Schools by Majors
#15 
Seattle University
Agriculture URAP University Ranking by Academic Performance - By Field
#18 
University of Washington
Biotechnology GRAS Global Ranking of Academic Subjects - ShanghaiRanking
#21 
University of Washington
Entrepreneurship The Princeton Review: Top 50 Undergraduate Schools for Entrepreneurship
#26 
University of Washington
Mathematics NTU Rankings by Subject
#31 
University of Washington
Law GRAS Global Ranking of Academic Subjects - ShanghaiRanking
#34 
University of Washington

Student Opinions About Studying in Seattle

“The experience that you end up having in Seattle can really be influenced by which neighbourhood you decide to move into. Your commute could be twice as long if you move into the wrong place - remember that distance doesn’t mean anything here, it’s all about how well connected the roads and buses are to where you need to be.”

“One of the most popular areas for student rentals is West Seattle as it’s right next to the water and you get a great view of Downtown. People who live in this area use the water taxi which ferries them over to Downtown, so a lot of people use it for getting to work and so on, and it’s great because the fare is covered by U-Pass so students who have one don’t have to worry about the cost.”

“When I first came to Seattle I kept hearing about the “Seattle Freeze”, which is basically a way of describing the locals as people who are slow to warm to you and make friends. I think it’s a little bit of an exaggeration, because people are perfectly friendly here, but they’re just a bit slower when it comes to making friends.”

Seattle Key Facts for International Students

PROS

  • Seattle is a place where newcomers can find a job relatively easily compared to other cities in the U.S. Some of the most prolific employers in the city include Amazon, Boeing, Nordstrom Department Stores, Starbucks, Microsoft, Alaska Airlines, and Costco. It’s also a city well known for having plenty of start-up businesses.

  • Biking is a great way to get around Seattle, most streets have bicycle paths, and in many cases it is a much faster way to get around than dealing with the car traffic.

  • One of the most popular areas in Seattle for students is Capitol Hill with plenty of nightlife opportunities for partying, eating out at quality restaurants, or checking out the city’s vibrant live music scene.

CONS

  • The median rent price for a 2-bedroom apartment is almost $2,000. This places Seattle’s housing costs around $500 more than the national average. On the positive side, the active job market makes it easier to get on your feet.

  • Many long-term residents in Seattle say that the schedules of the public transport are quite unreliable, as the trains and buses tend to arrive “when they feel like it”.

  • Seattle is not the most diverse city, and many international students remark that it didn’t take them long to realize that the vast majority of the city’s population is white. Some students don’t mind this, but others do.


6 out of 6 Universities in Seattle Ranked in at least one ranking

36 Different Rankings list Universities in Seattle (25 institution and 11 subject rankings)

29 Global Rankings rank Universities in Seattle Among TOP 200

Population: 738000

Elevation: 56 m. above sea level

Time: GMT -8

District/province: Washington, King County

Living costs for students in Seattle:

* 100 = prices in London

  • Living costs without accommodation 105* (5% more expensive than London)
  • All costs including accommodation 98* (2% cheaper than London)
  • Meals (grocery & lower cost restaurants) 103* (3% more expensive than London)
  • Average Big Mac price 5.15 US$
  • Plug Type A
    • Residential voltage: 120 V
    • Frequency: 60 Hz
  • Plug Type B
    • Residential voltage: 120 V
    • Frequency: 60 Hz

Map with location of universities in Seattle

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FAQ

University of Washington ranks #1 in Seattle in our meta ranking composed of 112 university rankings.

Among all universities in Seattle University of Washington is listed in the largest number of rankings. See all 51 rankings where University of Washington is listed.

University of Washington is ranked best in Seattle for Computer Science (Data Science). See all rankings for the University of Washington.

University of Washington is ranked best in Seattle for Social Studies & Humanities (Social Sciences). See all rankings for the University of Washington.

University of Washington is ranked best in Seattle for Natural Sciences (Geology). See all rankings for the University of Washington.

University of Washington is ranked best in Seattle for Education (Education). See all rankings for the University of Washington.

Seattle University is ranked best in Seattle for Medicine & Health (Nursing & Health Care). See all rankings for the Seattle University.

University of Washington is ranked best in Seattle for Agriculture (Agriculture). See all rankings for the University of Washington.

University of Washington is ranked best in Seattle for Engineering (Biotechnology). See all rankings for the University of Washington.

University of Washington is ranked best in Seattle for Business (Entrepreneurship). See all rankings for the University of Washington.

University of Washington is ranked best in Seattle for Mathematics (Mathematics). See all rankings for the University of Washington.

University of Washington is ranked best in Seattle for Law (Law). See all rankings for the University of Washington.

University of Washington is ranked best in Seattle for Journalism & Media Studies (Journalism). See all rankings for the University of Washington.

University of Washington is ranked best in Seattle for Languages & Literature (Linguistics). See all rankings for the University of Washington.

University of Washington is ranked best in Seattle for Architecture, Building & Planning (Architecture). See all rankings for the University of Washington.

Ranking publishers

4icu

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British Quacquarelli Symonds, UK

Criteria used in ranking -QS World University Rankings:

Academic Reputation 40% Employer Reputation 10% Faculty/Student Ratio 20% Citations per faculty 20% International Faculty Ratio 5% International Student Ratio 5%

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Criteria used in ranking -QS Employability Rankings:

Employer reputation 30% Alumni outcomes 25% Partnerships with Employers per Faculty 25% Employer/Student Connections 10% Graduate employment rate 10%

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CWUR Center for World University Rankings

Criteria used in ranking -CWUR Center for World University Rankings:

Research Performance: 40%

  • Research Output: 10%
  • High-Quality Publications: 10%
  • Influence: 10%
  • Citations: 10%

Quality of Education: 25%

Alumni Employment: 25%

Quality of Faculty: 10%

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Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University, Netherlands

Criteria used in ranking -CWTS Leiden Ranking:

Scientific Impact Number of Publications Collaboration Open Access Gender Diversity

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Forbes

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Kiplinger

Criteria used in ranking -Kiplinger's Best College Values:

Quality Criteria 55% Cost Criteria 45%

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MONEY

Criteria used in ranking -MONEY Best Public Colleges:

Quality of education 33.33% Affordability 33.33% Outcomes 33.33%

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Criteria used in ranking -MONEY Best Colleges in America, ranked by value:

Quality of education 33.33% Affordability 33.33% Outcomes 33.33%

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NTU ranking

Criteria used in ranking -NTU Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers:

Research Productivity: 25%

  • # Articles last 11 years: 10%
  • # Articles current year: 15%

Research Impact: 35%

  • # Citations last 11 years: 15%
  • # Citations last 2 years: 10%
  • Average # citations last 11 years: 10%

Research Excellence: 40%

  • H-index last 2 years: 10%
  • # Highly cited papers last 11 years: 15%
  • # Articles current year in high-impact journals: 15%

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Nature Index

Criteria used in ranking -Nature Index - Academic:

Article count (AC) Fractional count (FC) Weighted fractional count (WFC)

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Payscale

Criteria used in ranking -Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (Bachelors only):

Ranking is based on ROI

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RUR Ranking Agency (Moscow, Russia)

Criteria used in ranking -RUR World University Rankings:

Teaching: 40%

  • Ratio Faculty/Student: 8%
  • Ratio Faculty/Bachelor Degrees Awarded: 8%
  • Ratio Faculty/Doctoral Degrees Awarded: 8%
  • Ratio Doctoral Degrees Awarded/Bachelor Degrees Awarded: 8%
  • World Teaching Reputation: 8%

Research: 40%

  • Citations per Academic/Research Staff: 8%
  • Doctoral Degrees per Accepted PhD: 8%
  • Normalized Citation Impact: 8%
  • Papers per Academic/Research Staff: 8%
  • World Research Reputation: 8%

International Diversity: 10%

  • International Faculty: 2%
  • International Students: 2%
  • International Co-Authored Papers: 2%
  • Reputation Outside Geographical Region: 2%
  • International Level: 2%

Financial Sustainability: 10%

  • Institutional Income per Faculty: 2%
  • Institutional Income per Student: 2%
  • Papers per Research Income: 2%
  • Research Income per Academic/Research Staff: 2%
  • Research Income per Institutional Income: 2%

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Criteria used in ranking -RUR Academic Rankings:

Normalized citation impact (Citations of research publications from all university authors compared with world averages) 20% Citation per papers 20% Papers per academic and research staff 20% International research reputation 20% Share of research publications written in international co-authorship 20%

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Criteria used in ranking -RUR Reputation Ranking:

Teaching Reputation 50% Research Reputation 50%

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Scimago Institutions

Criteria used in ranking -Scimago Institutions Rankings:

Research 50% Innovation 30%
Societal 20%

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ShanghaiRanking Consultancy

Criteria used in ranking -ARWU Academic Ranking of World Universities - ShanghaiRanking:

Quality of Education 10%

  • Alumni winning Nobel Prizes/Field Medals 10%

Quality of Faculty 40%

  • Staff winning Nobel Prizes/Field Medals 20%
  • Highly Cited Researchers 20%

Research Output 40%

  • Papers published in Nature and Science 20%
  • Papers indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded & Social Science Citation Index 20%

Per Capita Performance 10%

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StuDocu

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THE Times Higher Education, UK

Criteria used in ranking -THE World University Rankings:

30% Teaching (the Learning Environment)

  • Reputation survey: 15%
  • Staff-to-student ratio: 4.5%
  • Doctorate-to-bachelor’s ratio: 2.25%
  • Doctorates-awarded-to-academic-staff ratio: 6%
  • Institutional income: 2.25%

30% Research (Volume, Income and Reputation)

  • Reputation survey: 18%
  • Research income: 6%
  • Research productivity: 6%

30% Citations (Research Influence)

7.5% International Outlook (Staff, Students and Research)

  • Proportion of international students: 2.5%
  • Proportion of international staff: 2.5%
  • International collaboration: 2.5%

2.5% Industry Income (Knowledge Transfer)"

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Criteria used in ranking -THE Global Employability University Ranking:

Employability (survey) 100%

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Criteria used in ranking -THE World Reputation Rankings:

Research Reputation 66,6% Teaching Reputation 33,3%

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Criteria used in ranking -THE World’s Most International Universities:

Proportion of international students 25% Proportion of international staff 25% Proportion of journal publications with one or more international co-authors 25% University’s international reputation 25%

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The Princeton Review

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Thomson Reuters

Criteria used in ranking -Reuters Most Innovative Universities:

Patent Volume 33% Patent Citations 34% Industry Article Citation Impact 11% Percent of Industry Collaborative Articles 11% Total Web of Science Core Collection Papers 11%

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Urap

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Us News

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Wallstreet Journal USA & THE Times Higher Education, UK

Criteria used in ranking -Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education US College Rankings:

Outcomes 40% (employability) Resources 30% Engagement 20% (teaching) Environment 10% (diversity)

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Washington Monthly

Criteria used in ranking -Washington Monthly - National Universities:

Social Mobility 33.33%
Research 33.33%
Community and National Service 33.33%

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Webometrics

Criteria used in ranking -Webometrics Ranking Web of Universities:

Visibility 50% Excellence 35% Transparency 10% Presence 5%

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