Higher education in Washington is overseen by the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC). The WSAC is a newly-established council that was enacted on July 1, 2012, as a cabinet-level state agency. This nine-member council is charged with making higher education accessible for more students, finding ways to increase student success rates, and working to continually raise the level of education being provided by colleges and universities throughout the state. The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) is a governor-appointed, nine-member board that coordinates and provides leadership for the state's 34 public community and technical colleges. Washington is home to several accredited public and private colleges and universities.
Accredited Colleges & Universities in WashingtonThe WSAC provides a list of colleges and universities in Washington. Included on this list are the two largest accredited universities in Washington, University of Washington and Washington State University. These are both public research universities with multiple campuses throughout the state. Online courses and degree programs are offered through University of Washington's Professional and Continuing Education and through Washington State University's Global Campus. These and other universities in the state - including private universities such as Walla Walla University - are working to develop more highly-quality online degree programs.
Online education makes earning a degree an attainable goal for many people who would otherwise not be able to earn one, especially working adults who are unable to attend classes in a physical classroom on a set schedule. In addition to this, the WSAC is working on other ways to make a college education accessible to more people by instituting programs in schools in Washington. This includes improving the quality of state financial aid programs, developing more scholarships, developing programs to prepare middle and high school students for college, and finding ways to help students transition through each phase of the learning process. They have also developed a 10-year plan consisting of recommendations and initiatives designed to make higher education more attainable.
Accredited Community Colleges in WashingtonThere are 34 community colleges in Washington, located in just about every major city throughout the state. All of these are regulated by the SBCTC. One goal of the SBCTC is to develop and improve high-quality online educational programs through their eLearning program. In addition to this, the SBCTC works to administer adult education programs, assists with policy development for statewide higher education, and works with agencies, such as WorkFirst and Running Start, to develop programs and services that help current and prospective students. They also coordinate with businesses to gain an understanding of the knowledge and skills needed for a variety of careers, and then work on the curriculum and training provided by their programs to ensure these needs are met.
Universities:
- Antioch University - Seattle
- Bastyr University
- Central Washington University
- City University
- Eastern Washington University
- Gonzaga University
- McGraw-Hill World University
- Pacific Lutheran University - Tacoma
- Seattle Pacific University - Seattle
- Seattle University
- Seattle University School of Law
- University of Puget Sound
- University of Washington - Seattle
- Washington State University
- Washington State University at Spokane
- Washington State University at Tri Cities
- Washington State University at Vancouver
- Western Washington University - Bellingham
Colleges:
- Art Institute of Seattle
- Bates Technical College - Tacoma
- Bryman College
- Clover Park Technical College - Lakewood
- Evergreen State College
- Heritage College
- Lake Washington Technical College
- Northwest College of the Assembly of God
- Renton Technical College
- Saint Martin's College - Lacey
- Walla Walla College
- Washington Bible College
- Western Business College - Vancouver
- Whitman College
- Whitworth College
Community Colleges:
- Bellevue Community College
- Big Bend Community College
- Centralia College
- Clark College
- Columbia Basin College
- Edmonds Community College
- Everett Community College
- Grays Harbor College
- Green River Community College
- Highline Community College
- Institute for Extended Learning (IEL) - Spokane
- Lower Columbia College
- North Seattle Community College
- Olympic College
- Peninsula College
- Pierce College
- Seattle Central Community College
- Seattle Community Colleges
- Seattle Vocational Institute
- Shoreline Community College
- Skagit Valley Community College
- South Puget Sound Community College - Olympia
- South Seattle Community College
- Spokane Community College
- Spokane Falls Community College
- Tacoma Community College
- Walla Walla Community College
- Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges - Olympia
- Wenatchee Valley College