The most affordable online colleges in Washington are a mix of public and private schools, which is appropriate considering the history of the state of Washington. Though the state was late to join the union in 1819 as the 42nd member of the United States, it quickly became the leading state in a series of firsts that made traditionalists stammer. In 1910, Washington was the first state to extend the rights to vote to women. In 1916, the state established prohibition, two years before any other state followed suit. In the 1920s and 1930s, Washington was the first state to coordinate with the federal government in building hydroelectric dams to make electricity abundant and affordable for the general populace. In 1941, the Hanford Project to enrich uranium was the first atomic energy unit created in the U.S.
To observers, it came as no surprise when the Washington educational system accepted the gift of computers from Microsoft (a Washington corporation) for elementary and secondary classrooms, an addition frowned on by educational authorities in other states. The students grew to appreciate the potential in computer use and took that appreciation with them into the college ranks. A near-instantaneous drive to include online courses in Washington and then fully online degrees led the nation toward the realization of the incredible potential in distance learning through the virtual environment.
The ten colleges on this list offer the most affordable online degrees in Washington. The schools on this list are selected from the higher education institutions in Washington that award degrees through online programs registered on the website of the National Center of Educational Statistics. To gain acceptance for our list of the most affordable online colleges in Washington, a school must deliver the lowest tuition cost for its students in more than just financing. These essential elements are also important:
- Every school on this list is regionally accredited. Accreditation assures the student that the cost of their education goes toward a valid degree accepted by other educational institutions and employers across the country.
- A school’s faculty makes all the difference. Scholars that can pass on their knowledge to others in a memorable way are the preferred antidote to academic indifference. All the schools on this list have proven faculty members.
- Schools on this list accept scholarships, grants, and federal student loans.
- The schools on this list take the future of their students seriously. These schools follow up with their graduates to ensure that they attain employment in their chosen field.
Ranking Low-Cost Online Washington Colleges
10. City University of Seattle
Seattle, WA
Tuition: $16,973
The City University of Seattle is a private, non-profit educational institution headquartered in Seattle, WA. The school operates campuses around the world and has a significant international online presence. Founded in 1973, the school’s purpose is to offer excellent education opportunities for working adults. US News and World Report lists the school’s online baccalaureate programs among the Best Online Programs worldwide. The faculty is highly regarded, and the quality of the curriculum is well tested throughout the world. The only drawback is the higher cost that an education at the City University of Seattle demands.
The university offers two bachelor degrees that are entirely available online—Bachelor of Arts in Digital Technology and Cultures and Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership—two of the most demanded degrees that find an appropriate number of students each year.
The school presents four master’s-level degrees online that are also very popular amongst students around the globe. Those degrees include:
- Master of Arts in Educating Non-Native English Speakers
- Master of Business Administration
- Master of Legal Studies in Compliance and Risk Management
- Master of Science in Business Analytics
The City University of Seattle completes its online presence with five certificate programs. These programs sharpen the skills of graduate-level students and post-graduate students in an essential area of their work. Students complete these certification programs in less than a year while taking nine to 12 credit hours of intense study. Those online certification programs include:
- Certification in Crime Analysis
- An Endorsement in English Language Learners (ELL)
- Certificate of Leadership in Faith & Economics
- Endorsement in Special Education
- Certificate in Web Development
9. Northwest University-College of Adult and Professional Studies
Kirkland, WA
Tuition: $15,600
Northwest University-College of Adult and Professional Studies is a faith-based educational institution that focuses on the ethical and principled application of knowledge through a quality faculty who share the same vision of the world. Since its original founding in 1934, the school has migrated from a “Bible school” to an educational institution that offers affordable associate and certification-level programs, 70 pathways toward a baccalaureate degree, and programs at the masters level. Of those programs, the Northwest University-College of Adult and Professional Studies offers three certification and associate-level degrees including:
- Associate in Arts
- Associate in Ministry Leadership
- Certificate in Ministry Leadership
These short programs are designed for working adults to continue their education at home through the school’s extensive online presence. For those students who seek a baccalaureate degree, but do not have the time to attend traditional classrooms, Northwest University has a choice of six diverse bachelor’s degrees including:
- Bachelor of Arts in Business Management
- Bachelor of Arts in Ministry Leadership
- Bachelor of Arts in Organizational leadership
- Bachelor of Arts in Organizational management
- Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
- Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing
To complete their offerings for students who prefer or must take their courses online, Northwest University-College of Adult and Professional Studies offers seven masters-level degrees including:
- Master in Divinity
- Master of Arts in Bible and Theology
- Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Master of Arts in International Community Development
- Master of Business Administration
- Master of Education
- Master of Science in Nursing
Northwest University-College of Adult and Professional Studies has carefully organized itself into a world-challenging educational institution. US News and World Report ranks the school as the 17th best of the Regional Colleges in the West region. Students looking for online education from a faith-based university should consider Northwest University-College of Adult and Professional Studies as a viable and valuable possibility.
8. Washington State University
Pullman, WA
Tuition: $11,584
Students at Washington State University enjoy one of the top-tier public research schools in the country. Founded in 1890, the school concentrated early on agricultural and technological studies and has moved to include a massive number of degrees since then. The university jumped into the online arena early when it created its award-winning Global Campus that turns the virtual realm into an excellent educational experience for students around the world. Students seeking a cheaper baccalaureate degree through an online experience find 20 pathways that they can explore through Washington State University’s Global Campus. The degrees are available in diverse fields such as business, communication, interdisciplinary studies, science and technology, and social/behavior sciences. To accent their degree, online undergraduate students can select from seven undergraduate certification programs such as:
- Certificate in American Indian Studies
- Certificate in Gerontology
- Certificate in Global Leadership
- Certificate in Molecular Biosciences
- Certificate in Organic Agriculture
- Certificate in Professional Science & Technical Writing
- Certificate in Professional Writing
These certification programs involve a minimum of nine credit hours of study and a maximum of 18 credit hours. Some are usable as a stepping-stone toward a masters-level degree at Washington State University, 12 of which are presented entirely online, including:
- Master of Science in Agriculture
- Professional Science Master’s in Electrical Power Engineering
- Master of Engineering and Technology Management
- Master of Business Administration—Executive
- Master of Science in Agriculture—Food Science and Management Option
- Master of Arts in Health Communication and Promotion
- Master of Business Administration
- Professional Science Master’s in Molecular Biology
- Master of Science in Agriculture—Plant Health and Management Option
- Master of Science in Software Engineering
- Master of Education in Special Education
- Master of Arts in Strategic Communication
Master degree programs at Washington State University include 30 to 36 credit hours of studies. The typical master’s degree requires a capstone or thesis project at the end that demonstrates the student’s understanding of the subject matter. After attaining a masters degree, a student that feels the need to sharpen skills in areas of work can seek a post-graduate certification such as:
- Graduate Certificate in Bioethics
- Graduate Certificate in Engineering and Technology Management
- Graduate Certificate in Health Communication & Promotion
- Graduate Certificate in Master of Business Administration—Information Security Analyst Concentration
- Graduate Certificate in Master of Business Administration—Human Resources Management Concentration
- Graduate Certificate in Master of Business Administration—Management Analyst Concentration
- Graduate Certificate in Professional Molecular Sciences
- Graduate Certificate in Strategic Communication
- Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture
Educators in the state of Washington can pursue two endorsements at Washington State University that allow them to extend their ability to instruct in classes that are otherwise denied to them. The two endorsements that are available entirely online are a Special Education teaching Endorsement and a Reading Endorsement.
The pioneering aspect o the Global Campus at Washington State University has brought acclaim from those organizations that monitor and rate universities from around the globe. US News & World Report currently ranks the online programs offered by Washington State University as the 20th best in the world.
7. University of Washington
Seattle, WA
Tuition: $11,207
The University of Washington (UW) was founded in 1861 to boost the economy of Seattle. The effort bore abundant fruit, and the university saw a century and a half of steady advancement among the ranks of universities across the U.S. Today, UW enjoys an incredible reputation and is elevated to public research university status with an R1 rating from the Carnegie Institute—the highest rating available. The university first offered affordable online courses in 1995 and quickly moved to upgrade those courses into degree programs that were also available entirely online. Currently, the online application at UW ranks as 126th in the US News & World Report list of the Best Online Programs Worldwide.
The online programs at UW begin at a professional level for those working students who do not have the time to attend traditional classrooms but who wish to improve their skills. These certificate programs do not require the student to be seeking a baccalaureate but can be added to such a degree if a student wishes to do so. The certificate programs range in credit hours from nine to 15 hours completed. The field certificates online at UW are indicative of the university’s original purpose of improving the local economy. Those certification programs include:
- Certificate in Data Analytics: Techniques for Decision Making
- Certificate in Digital Marketing
- Certificate in Editing
- Certificate in Front-End Development with HTML, CSS & Javascript
- Certificate in Human Resources Essentials
- Certificate in Data Science
- Certificate in Machine Learning
- Certificate in Project Management
- Certificate in Python Programming
There are only two online baccalaureate programs at the university—Bachelor of Arts in Early Care and Education and Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Social Sciences. UW places more emphasis on their online programs in the graduate-level degree as the school understands the difficulty of working while advancing an education. The 15 master’s-level degrees UW offers online require the same amount of work as those taught in a classroom—30 to 36 credit-hours of study with a capstone project or thesis for completion. The master’s-level degrees UW offers entirely online include:
- Master of Aerospace Engineering
- Master of Education in Special Education: Applied Behavior Analysis
- Master of Infrastructure Planning & Management
- Master of Library & Information Science
- Master of Pharmaceutical Bioengineering
- Master of Science in Applied Mathematics
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering: Construction Engineering
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering: Energy Infrastructure
- Master of Science in Clinical Informatics & Patient-Centered Technology
- Master of Science in Computational Finance & Risk Management
- Master of Science in Computational Linguistics
- Master of Science in Construction Management
- Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
- Master of Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics
- Master of Sustainable Transportation
6. Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA
Tuition: $8,126
Western Washington University (WWU) started offering classes in 1893 as a Normal School for Teachers. Today, the university is a fully-fledged member of the elite schools that offer certifications, baccalaureates, and masters-level degrees. WWU does not have many degrees online but offers courses to augment those degrees that are presented in the classroom. Those courses include a variety of fields of study such as business, anthropology, art, Canadian/American studies, communication, computer science, dance, mathematics, economics, education, energy studies, English, the environment, geology, healthcare, history, journalism, library science, linguistics, information systems, music, psychology, sociology, religion, and women’s studies. These cheap courses are available online for students who are pursuing undergraduate degrees at WWU.
The school has only two undergraduate degrees that are entirely available online. These degrees—Bachelor of Arts in Human Services and Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies—have proven to be among the most popular degrees at WWU. The school is looking to increase the availability of online degrees soon with an emphasis on graduate-level degrees.
5. Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA
Tuition: $8,072
Founded in 1891, Central Washington University (CWU) began life as an educational institution as a center at which teachers were educated to service the central Washington area. From its inception, the university has contributed to the benefit of the Washington economy and social structure. Today, CWU is recognized as the fastest-growing university in Washington and one of the fastest in the U.S., largely because of its excellent and affordable online presence. CWU offers more baccalaureate degrees online than any other school in Washington, including:
- Bachelor of Science—Aviation Management
- Bachelor of Arts in English: Professional & Creative Writing
- Bachelor of Science—Business Administration
- Bachelor of Science—Information Technology and Administrative Management
- Bachelor of Applied Science—Information Technology and Administrative Management
- Bachelor of Science—Interdisciplinary Studies—Social Sciences
- Bachelor of Arts—Law and Justice
- Bachelor of Arts—Liberal Studies
- Bachelor of Science—Paramedicine (Hybrid)
- Bachelor of Arts—Psychology
- Bachelor of Science—Public Health
- Bachelor of Science—Social Services
- Bachelor of Arts—Sociology
- Bachelor of Applied Science—Supply Chain Management
CWU encourages its undergraduates to pursue a minor field of study while completing their bachelor’s degree. To facilitate the exploration of this separate area and to gain marketable expertise, CWU presents eight of its 23 minors online. The presentation of these essential degrees online allows the student to study them during the summer months which keeps their head in the academic game while visiting family and friends. Those eight minors include:
- Minor in Accessibility Studies
- Minor in Administrative Management
- Minor in Anthropology
- Minor in Family Science
- Minor in Human Resource Management
- Minor in Latino & Latin American Studies
- Minor in Retail Management & Technology
- Minor in Technical Writing
For those interested in specializing in an area of study other than their major without taking the extra hours of study required to receive a minor, CWU also presents a variety of certifications and endorsements online. All the above minors are also programs that are usable as certifications. Other certifications or endorsements available online at CWU include:
- Certificate in Cybersecurity
- Certificate in English Language Learner
- Certificate in Global Literacy Development
- Certificate in Information Technology
- Endorsement in Library Media
- Certificate in Non-Profit Organization Management
- Certificate in Professional Writing
- Certificate in Project Management
- Certificate in Rural and Community Health
- Certificate in Alternative Pathways to Teaching
CWU caps its online presence with ten master’s-level programs, an area that the university is increasing each year. Those master’s-level degree opportunities include:
- Master of Arts in English—Professional and Creative Writing
- Master of Education: Higher Education
- Master of Education: Literacy
- Master of Education: Master Teacher
- Master of Education: School Administration
- Master of Education: Special Education
- Master of Education: Athletic Administration
- Master of Science: Health & Physical Education (Hybrid)
- Master of Science: Information Technology and Administrative Management
4. Eastern Washington University
Cheney, WA
Tuition: $7,323
Eastern Washington University (EWU) was founded in Cheney, WA to create an adequate supply of teachers in the eastern Washington area. By 1920, the school grew to become the principal teaching college in the area and began expanding its curriculum to include other areas of study than education. Today, the school offers over 100 undergraduate areas of study, and 55 graduate programs. With east Washington being a rural area, the advent of the online educational environment allowed the school to touch many students who otherwise would have been left without access to higher education opportunities. EWU offers five affordable baccalaureate degrees online including:
- Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene
- Bachelor of Science in Health Science
- Bachelor of Arts in Addiction Studies
- Bachelor of Arts in Children’s Studies
- Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies
To assist students who are looking to immediately enter the workforce after graduation, EWU presents four certification programs entirely online that are available for both students that attend the school completely online and those who take traditional classroom courses. Those undergraduate certifications are:
- Certificate in Applied Ethics & Practical Philosophy
- Certificate in Disability Studies
- Certificate in Geographic Information Systems
- Certificate in Leadership
EWU offers undergraduates another system to easily improve their chances of early employment after graduation through their minor degree programs. Students can strategize their educational opportunities by satisfying their minor degree requirements online during the summer months. The school offers 16 of its minors online for the convenience of the students including:
- Minor in Addiction Counseling & Prevention
- Minor in Africana Studies
- Minor in Applied Developmental Psychology
- Minor in Business Administration
- Minor in Chicana/o/x Studies
- Minor in Communication Studies
- Minor in Corporate Training
- Minor in Disability Studies
- Minor in Economics
- Minor in Geography
- Minor in Health Services Management
- Minor in History
- Minor in Philosophy
- Minor in Psychology
- Minor in Religious Studies
- Minor in Women’s & Gender Studies
Once a student has gained their undergraduate degree, EWU offers them the opportunity to continue their online education by seeking a master’s-level degree. EWU offers nine master’s degrees online including:
- Master of Arts in Behavioral Health
- Master of Business Administration with a General Business Concentration
- Master of Business Administration with an Accounting Concentration
- Master of Business Administration with a Finance Concentration
- Master of Business Administration with a Global Business Concentration
- Master of Science n Dental Hygiene
- Master of Education—Adult Education
- Master of Education—Curriculum and Instruction
- Master of Education—Early Childhood Education
- Master of Education—Educational Leadership
- Master of Education—Educational Leadership, Principal Certification
- Master of Education—Literacy
- Master of Public Health
- Educational Specialist in School Psychology
3. Peninsula College
Port Angeles, WA
Tuition: $4,453
Peninsula College is a community college that found itself created in 1961 by the citizens of Port Angeles, WA, who tired of traveling extensively to gain an education. They settled on the development of a community college that would provide the associate-level degrees and transferable courses to four-year educational institutions. Many of the associate level degrees have multiple applications such as an Administrative Office Systems (AOS) degree may also act as an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) or an Associate of Applied Science-Transferable (AAR-T) degree applicable toward a baccalaureate program. The college offers 17 of these degrees in an affordable online environment including:
- Associate of Arts
- Administrative Office Systems—Accounting, AAS, AAS-T
- Administrative Office Systems—Administrative Assistant, AAS, AAS-T
- Administrative Office Systems—Computer Applications Software Support Specialist, AAS
- Administrative Office Systems—Legal, AAS
- Associate of Applied Science in Accounting, AAS-T
- Associate of Applied Science in Entrepreneurship Foundations, AAS-T
- Associate of Applied Science in Management, AAS-T
- Associate of Applied Science in Computer Applications, AAS-T
- Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice, AAS-T
- Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity and Computer Forensics, AAS-T
- Associate of Applied Science in Homeland Security and Emergency Management
- Associate of Applied Science in Hospitality and Ecotourism
- Associate of Applied Science in IT Systems Administration, AAS-T
- Associate of Applied Science in Multimedia Communications
- Associate of Applied Science in Multimedia Communications Graphics, AAS-T
- Associate of Applied Science in Multimedia Communications Web Design, AAS-T
Peninsula College is one of the few community colleges that offers a bachelor’s level degree—Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management which it offers both in the traditional classroom and online.
2. Tacoma Community College
Tacoma, WA
Tuition: $4,267
Tacoma Community College (TCC) processed it’s first students in the Fall of 1965 at the Tacoma campus and has had over 500,000 students take classes at the institution since that time. The satellite campus at Gig Harbor offers classes that students can attend in the classroom or online. The school’s online presence has grown to include nearly every course that the college provides. With over 100 associate pathways available to choose from, the school continues to expand as students flock to it to begin their educational journey or to continue gathering information to enrich their lives. The associate degrees at TCC include an impressive array of fields like accounting, business, art, biology, astronomy, communication, healthcare, mathematics, computer applications, education, English, literature, history, leadership, ethics, security, writing, nutrition, fitness, political science, psychology, pharmaceutical science, sociology, or foreign languages.
While TCC’s online presence specializes in the early years of education, it also works in tandem with the governing educational boards to ensure that the courses taken at TCC are transferable to four-year schools as the foundation for building an undergraduate degree.
The principal advantages of attending TCC are the availability of classes in an online environment that encourages student interaction through a cohort process and the cost-effectiveness that makes attending the school to complete the lower division courses required for a bachelor’s degree an effective, economical alternative. The faculty consists of dedicated scholars with the talent to pass on information through the online process.
1. Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom
Lakewood, WA
Tuition: $3,862
Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom is a community college that began accepting students in 1967. The name is indicative of the school’s location in the Fort Steilacoom of Lakewood, WA in Pierce County. The school fulfilled the need for education for students unable to make an extensive journey to distant colleges. The first classes were held in community hospitals, military bases, and high schools throughout the county. Eventually, a permanent campus was established in Fort Steilacoom with satellite campuses in Puyallup, Fort Lewis, McChord Air Force Base, and South Hill.
When the online educational system became available, the school quickly grabbed the technology to hold joint classes for students across all the campuses. That experience encouraged the school to begin offering cheap classes online to students outside their system that grew into full degrees, principally in the area of associate-level degrees. The online system used by Pierce College is known as the Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) system that originally facilitated communication and classes between the two military bases but has grown to include all the Pierce College locations and students attending classes from outside the Pierce College environment. Associate degrees available through the JBLM online system are:
- Associate in Arts
- Associate in Science
- Associate in Biology
- Associate in Business
- Associate in Construction Management
- Associate in Math Education
- Associate in Music
- Associate in Pre-Nursing
Pierce also offers 21 professional certifications that are available entirely online, including areas of study as diverse as accounting, business, computer systems, construction, criminal justice, dental hygiene, design, education, emergency services, security, social service, and veterinary medicine.
With the reputation created by its lists of firsts, the state of Washington can include the in-depth exploration of the virtues and possibilities of the online education environment. It is the emergence of online that influenced the economic explosion that Washington experienced in the 1980s and is still riding today. With an abundance of affordable online colleges operating in Washington, the future continues to look prosperous.
AS Staff
January 2020
This concludes our list of the ten most affordable online colleges in Washington for 2020
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