univstats

Washington Colleges' Retention Rate

What is the Average Retention Rate in Washington?

The retention rate is the percentage of first-time students who attend and continue their study in next year at colleges. The low retention rate means that more students transfer out to or stop/pause the program at a school. In general, high ranked colleges or special purpose colleges' retention rate is higher than others.
The average retention rate of Washington colleges is 74.33% for full-time students and 58.46% for part-time students. 22,383 out of 27,640 full-time first-year students continued their study in next year at Washington colleges. In public Washington colleges, the retention rate is 69% and private schools' rate is 78% By school levels, the retention rate at four-years colleges is 74% and community colleges' rate is 69% in Washington.
The next schools are the top 5 Washington colleges that have the highest retention rate. University of Washington-Seattle Campus has the highest retention rate of 94% among Washington colleges. Gonzaga University and University of Washington-Bothell Campus also have higher rate of 93% and 85% respectively. For the ranking, we exclude community colleges and four-colleges with less than 1,000 first-time students.
The following table summarizes the average retention rate in Washington by school type and level.
The Average Retention Rate In Washington
TotalPublicPrivate (not-for-profit)Private (for-profit)
Total74.78%69.00%77.95%75.24%
4 Years Colleges74.41%73.56%78.33%57.33%
Community Colleges68.92%58.75%76.75%71.25%
Trade Schools79.00%-77.00%79.11%
The following table summarizes the retention rate and number of students by attending status for Washington collegesNumbers in parentheses in each column indicate the number of students in the corresponding category.
Retention Rate by Attending Status at Washington colleges
Retention RateFirst-time StudentsEnrolled in Next Year
Full-time74.33%27,64022,383
Part-time58.46%1,304641
The following table shows the Washington Colleges. You can see more schools and narrow down the results in search result page.
AllPublicPrivate4-Years CollegeCommunity CollegesTrade Schools
Washington Colleges
School NameLocationTuition & FeesEnrollmentAcceptance RateGraduation Rate
Charter College
Private (for-profit), four-years
Vancouver, WA $18,678 2,117 - 54%
Bellevue College
Public, four-years
Bellevue, WA $10,183 ($4,305) 10,617 - 30%
Bellingham Technical College
Public, four-years
Bellingham, WA $5,555 ($4,226) 1,632 - 30%
Big Bend Community College
Public, four-years
Moses Lake, WA $5,443 ($4,909) 1,736 - 40%
Central Washington University
Public, four-years
Ellensburg, WA $26,771 ($9,192) 9,257 93.49% 52%
Centralia College
Public, four-years
Centralia, WA $5,643 ($5,109) 2,277 - 44%
City University of Seattle
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Seattle, WA $14,589 2,095 - -
Paul Mitchell the School-Richland
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Richland, WA $19,844 261 - -
Clark College
Public, four-years
Vancouver, WA $10,380 ($4,632) 6,593 - 39%
Clover Park Technical College
Public, four-years
Lakewood, WA $6,634 ($5,979) 2,788 - 44%
Columbia Basin College
Public, four-years
Pasco, WA $8,239 ($6,194) 6,192 - 28%
Cornish College of the Arts
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Seattle, WA $39,913 443 71.13% 52%
Divers Institute of Technology
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Seattle, WA $27,500 231 - -
Eastern Washington University
Public, four-years
Cheney, WA $25,892 ($8,353) 10,910 96.12% 49%
Edmonds College
Public, four-years
Lynnwood, WA $10,553 ($4,669) 5,753 - 29%
Everett Community College
Public, 2-4 years
Everett, WA $10,180 ($4,301) 6,054 - 34%
The Evergreen State College
Public, four-years
Olympia, WA $30,980 ($8,999) 2,105 74.37% 41%
Pierce College District
Public, four-years
Lakewood, WA $5,211 ($4,686) 8,635 - 38%
Glen Dow Academy of Hair Design
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Spokane, WA $15,451 100 - -
Gonzaga University
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Spokane, WA $53,500 7,253 69.74% 88%
Grays Harbor College
Public, four-years
Aberdeen, WA $10,629 ($4,751) 1,475 - 39%
Green River College
Public, four-years
Auburn, WA $5,105 ($4,580) 6,252 - 40%
Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Shoreline
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Shoreline, WA $12,758 88 - -
Heritage University
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Toppenish, WA $19,920 853 - 44%
Highline College
Public, four-years
Des Moines, WA $5,156 ($4,623) 4,684 - 40%
International Air and Hospitality Academy
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Vancouver, WA $8,925 133 - -
Bastyr University
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Kenmore, WA $30,126 728 - -
Bates Technical College
Public, 2-4 years
Tacoma, WA $11,518 ($5,569) 4,133 - 40%
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Public, four-years
Kirkland, WA $11,017 ($5,156) 3,150 - 43%
Lower Columbia College
Public, four-years
Longview, WA $5,633 ($4,346) 2,435 - 25%
BJ's Beauty & Barber College
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Tacoma, WA $9,660 39 - -
North Seattle College
Public, four-years
Seattle, WA $5,547 ($5,058) 4,675 - 27%
Northwest University
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Kirkland, WA $36,035 1,014 94.26% 67%
Olympic College
Public, four-years
Bremerton, WA $9,740 ($4,197) 4,905 - 31%
Perry Technical Institute
Private (not-for-profit), 2-4 years
Yakima, WA $49,596 879 - 78%
Pacific Lutheran University
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Tacoma, WA $50,964 2,633 88.90% 71%
Peninsula College
Public, four-years
Port Angeles, WA $5,111 ($4,586) 1,583 - 41%
University of Puget Sound
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Tacoma, WA $59,900 2,023 82.66% 76%
Renton Technical College
Public, four-years
Renton, WA $7,257 ($6,723) 3,072 - 60%
Saint Martin's University
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Lacey, WA $44,210 1,609 95.04% 60%
South Seattle College
Public, four-years
Seattle, WA $5,354 ($4,865) 4,901 - 33%
Seattle Central College
Public, four-years
Seattle, WA $5,354 ($4,865) 4,476 - 24%
Seattle Pacific University
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Seattle, WA $38,814 3,118 90.71% 65%
Seattle University
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Seattle, WA $54,285 7,121 85.15% 74%
Shoreline Community College
Public, 2-4 years
Shoreline, WA $7,430 ($4,388) 4,418 - 29%
Skagit Valley College
Public, four-years
Mount Vernon, WA $7,561 ($5,620) 3,860 - 34%
South Puget Sound Community College
Public, 2-4 years
Olympia, WA $5,637 ($5,103) 3,788 - 43%
Spokane Community College
Public, four-years
Spokane, WA $5,494 ($4,057) 6,502 - 35%
Spokane Falls Community College
Public, four-years
Spokane, WA $5,494 ($4,058) 3,795 - 29%
Stylemaster College of Hair Design
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Longview, WA $16,500 39 - -
Tacoma Community College
Public, four-years
Tacoma, WA $11,030 ($4,920) 5,502 - 32%
Walla Walla Community College
Public, four-years
Walla Walla, WA $7,967 ($6,513) 2,662 - 43%
Walla Walla University
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
College Place, WA $33,027 1,432 - 62%
Washington State University
Public, four-years
Pullman, WA $29,073 ($12,997) 27,539 83.10% 62%
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Public, four-years
Seattle, WA $41,997 ($12,643) 52,319 47.52% 84%
Wenatchee Valley College
Public, four-years
Wenatchee, WA $5,652 ($5,118) 2,529 - 37%
Western Washington University
Public, four-years
Bellingham, WA $27,853 ($9,286) 14,747 92.69% 65%
Whatcom Community College
Public, four-years
Bellingham, WA $11,096 ($5,146) 3,340 - 42%
Whitman College
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Walla Walla, WA $61,492 1,493 47.70% 90%
Whitworth University
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Spokane, WA $50,920 2,415 90.52% 75%
Yakima Valley College
Public, four-years
Yakima, WA $5,697 ($5,163) 3,279 - 26%
Antioch University-Seattle
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Seattle, WA $19,410 799 - -
Pima Medical Institute-Seattle
Private (for-profit), 2-4 years
Seattle, WA $17,849 474 - 50%
Northwest College of Art & Design
Private (for-profit), four-years
Tacoma, WA $18,100 119 67.94% 56%
University of Washington-Bothell Campus
Public, four-years
Bothell, WA $41,913 ($12,559) 5,735 88.08% 68%
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
Public, four-years
Tacoma, WA $42,171 ($12,817) 4,794 88.35% 54%
Northwest Indian College
Public, four-years
Bellingham, WA $3,969 ($3,969) 643 - 27%
Highlights Beauty Schools
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Federal Way, WA $19,250 210 - -
Northwest HVAC/R Training Center
Private (not-for-profit), less than 2-years
Spokane, WA $11,500 35 100.00% -
Carrington College-Spokane
Private (for-profit), 2-4 years
Spokane, WA $21,744 298 - 60%
Cascadia College
Public, four-years
Bothell, WA $10,864 ($4,914) 1,844 - 35%
Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Seattle, WA $27,600 33 - -
The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Seattle, WA $15,840 283 - -
Faith International University
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Tacoma, WA $8,850 335 - 16%
DigiPen Institute of Technology
Private (for-profit), four-years
Redmond, WA $37,400 1,124 66.37% 60%
Evergreen Beauty and Barber College-Everett
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Everett, WA $12,758 766 - -
Pima Medical Institute-Renton
Private (for-profit), 2-4 years
Renton, WA $17,849 551 - 54%
Victoria's Academy of Cosmetology
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Kennewick, WA $19,500 19 - -
Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Yakima, WA - 620 - -
Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute Seattle
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Seattle, WA $21,000 137 - -
Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building
Private (not-for-profit), 2-4 years
Port Hadlock, WA $20,025 62 - 85%
Summit Salon Academy
Private (for-profit), 2-4 years
Tacoma, WA $18,700 107 - 100%
Paul Mitchell the School-Spokane
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Spokane Valley, WA $16,340 185 - -
Whitworth University-Adult Degree Programs
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Spokane, WA $13,560 177 - -
Academy of Interactive Entertainment
Private (not-for-profit), 2-4 years
Seattle, WA $24,600 65 79.84% 73%
Studio Beauty School
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Spokane Valley, WA $8,410 88 - -
Aveda Institute Portland-Vancouver Campus
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Vancouver, WA $7,800 113 - -
Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Kirkland, WA $14,652 1,222 - 38%
Fosbre Academy of Hair Design
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Olympia, WA $18,475 85 - -
International Beauty Education Center
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Airway Heights, WA $10,640 92 - -
Seattle Film Institute
Private (for-profit), four-years
Seattle, WA $33,000 100 - 66%
Elite Cosmetology, Barber & Spa Academy
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Yakima, WA $19,200 124 - -
Centralia Beauty College
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Centralia, WA $16,100 80 - -
Pacific Northwest Christian College
Private (not-for-profit), 2-4 years
Kennewick, WA $11,350 24 - 46%
Washington State University-Tri Cities
Public, four-years
Richland, WA $28,008 ($11,932) - - -
Washington State University-Vancouver
Public, four-years
Vancouver, WA $27,673 ($11,597) - - -
Shoreline Community College - Dental Hygiene
Public, 2-4 years
Seattle, WA $13,215 ($10,173) - - -
Shoreline Community College - CNC Machinists Program , Georgetown SSC
Public, 2-4 years
Seattle, WA $8,359 ($5,317) - - -
Columbia College - Whidbey Island
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Oak Harbor, WA $8,304 - - -
Columbia College - Naval Station Everett/Marysville
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Marysville, WA $8,304 - - -
Moody Bible Institute - Spokane
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Spokane, WA $14,400 - - -
Zorganics Institute Beauty and Wellness
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Bellingham, WA $8,882 - - -
Great Northern University
Private (not-for-profit), four-years
Spokane, WA $17,700 35 85.71% -
UEI College-Tacoma
Private (for-profit), less than 2-years
Tacoma, WA $19,900 520 - -