10 Best Colleges and Universities Near Tacoma, WA

You won't have any trouble finding a college near Tacoma, WA. This coastal city just south of Seattle is an idyllic location for study and learning with many options from which to choose.

There are also many affordable and cheap colleges to attend in Washington.

Below, we highlight the universities and colleges near Tacoma, WA, to help you make the best-informed decision about where you might enroll.

Featured Colleges in Tacoma, WA

The following schools are in the Tacoma area. See which one best fits your needs.

1. Faith International University

This interdenominational evangelical Protestant university offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.

Faith International is a small, non-residential college with only 335 students (and 177 undergraduates) and boasts a 10 to 1 student-faculty ratio.

Student demographics are 36% white, 32% African American, 12% Latino, and eight out of ten students are age 25 and above.

79% of students are exclusively enrolled in distance learning programs. Recent graduates majored in religious studies and organizational leadership.

Although two-thirds of students continue from the first to the second year, only 17% (a very low rate) graduate within six years, while 50% transfer out.

The graduation rate for African American students is zero, which is even more concerning.

Annual tuition is $8,685. 79% of undergrads received aid in the form of grants or scholarships averaging $2,107 per student.

2. Green River College

A four-year, public, non-residential university in Auburn, Washington (15 miles from Tacoma), Green River College offers certificates, associate degrees, and bachelor's degrees.

6,252 students are enrolled, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 12 to 1.

The graduation rate is 41%.

Tuition is $4,434 for in-state and $4,916 for out-of-state students, One third of students receive financial aid, which averages $7,511 per student.

Enrollment demographics are spread between 38% white, 15% Asian, 14% Latino, 8% African American, and 10% international students.

Most bachelor's degrees are awarded in computer and information science, computer programming, business, entrepreneurship, and aeronautics/aviation/aerospace science and technology.

3. Highline College

Highline is a four-year, public, residential college in Des Moines, Washington, which is 12 miles from Tacoma.

The student population at Highline College is 4,684 undergraduates, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 14 to 1. The graduation rate at Highline is 40%.

While the majority of students graduate with associate degrees, the most popular bachelor's fields are computer and information systems, early childhood education, respiratory therapy, international business, youth services, and design & visual communications.

Washington residents pay $4,458, while non-residents pay $4,948 per year in tuition and fees. Half of Highline's students receive financial aid, which averages $6,054 per student.

The school's demographics reflect a true diversity, with 25% white, 21% Asian, 19% Latino, and 19% African American. The students are also a blend of traditional and nontraditional, age-wise.

4. Northwest College of Art & Design

In Tacoma, Northwest College of Art & Design (NCAD) is a four-year private, for-profit non-residential undergraduate school that serves 119 bachelor's-seeking students each year. All recent graduates majored in design and visual communication.

The school provides one faculty for every 29 students, which is an extremely low faculty-student ratio. NCAD only employs ten part-time faculty, with no full-time faculty, which should raise red flags.

Annual tuition is $18,100, and 88% of students receive financial aid averaging $11,178.

Demographics show ethnic and racial diversity and almost all students are of traditional college age and live within the state of Washington.

Retention rates for first-year students are 56%, with a 53% six-year graduation rate.

5. Pacific Lutheran University

Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pacific Lutheran is a 4-year, private, nonprofit, residential university in suburban Tacoma that provides bachelor's, master's, and professional doctoral degrees.

The school has an admirable 78% retention rate and 72% graduation rate.

Serving 2,300 undergraduates with a student-to-faculty ratio of 11 to 1, Pacific Lutheran's faculty offers a wide range of liberal arts major programs as well as popular pre-professional programs like nursing and business administration.

100% of students are financial aid recipients, with annual awards averaging $36,435. This helps to offset the $50,928 a year tuition and fees 'sticker price.'

6. Pierce College District

More than 8,600 students are enrolled at Pierce College, a four-year public college offering certificates, associate, and bachelor's degrees, with campus housing available on the Lakewood campus.

Pierce's faculty-to-student ratio is 1 to 21, which is on the high end. Of those faculty, 311 are part-time while 136 are full-time, which could also be a cause for concern.

Students predominantly are in-state and are a blend of traditional and nontraditional ages, with a diverse racial and ethnic mix.

Forty-three percent of students are exclusively enrolled in online learning. Pierce has a 38% graduation rate.

Annual tuition is $4,539 for Washington students and $4,902 for non-residents. Half of Pierce's students receive financial aid awards to help pay for tuition and housing, with an average award of $6,177.

7. Pima Medical Institute-Renton

Twenty miles from Tacoma, you'll find Renton, which is home to the Pima Medical Institute.

Pima is a two-year, private, for-profit school that trains students in the human and veterinary health professions, awarding certificates and associate degrees.

These include vet tech and veterinary assistants, dental assistants, medical assistants, phlebotomists, respiratory care therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and many other occupations.

Tuition averages $17,333 per year, and three out of four students receive an average of $4,191in student aid. Student demographics are quite diverse. No online programs are offered.

8. South Seattle College

South Seattle College, located twenty miles from Tacoma, is a four-year public college that offers certificates, associate degrees, and baccalaureate degrees.

This nonresidential campus serves 4,901 undergraduate students.

South Seattle College has an extremely low faculty-to-student ratio of 32 to 1, which might be a source of concern for students wanting more interaction with faculty.

A related concern is that the state hires three times as many part-time (contingent) faculty as it does full-time faculty.

Only 23 bachelor's degrees were awarded in 2022 compared to 423 associate degrees.

These bachelor's degrees were in hospitality administration/management, technical teacher education, and energy systems technology.

Annual tuition is $4,865 for in-state and $5.354 for out-of-state students. Financial aid averaging $7,422 is awarded to 73% of students.

9. University of Puget Sound

At this private, not-for-profit university, you could earn a bachelor's, master's, or professional doctoral degree.

The residential University of Puget Sound serves 1,700 undergraduates and has an excellent student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 (206 full-time and 63 part-time).

Recent graduates represented programs spread across the liberal arts as well as business administration and pre-engineering. The most popular majors were in the social sciences and biological sciences.

Student demographics reflect a campus that's two-thirds white, with 12% Latino and 7% Asian but few African American students. 98% of students are traditional college age.

The university has a very healthy 79% first-year retention rate and a 76% graduation rate.

10. University of Washington-Tacoma Campus

The Tacoma campus of the state university is home to 4,083 undergraduate students on a residential campus.

You can earn a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree, and the university records a student-to-faculty ratio of 15 to 1.

Leading disciplines in which students have recently received bachelor's degrees include computer and information sciences, psychology, criminal justice, health professions (including nursing), business administration, and biomedical sciences.

The first-year retention rate at UW-Tacoma is 75%, with a 54% graduation rate. Demographics are racially and ethnically balanced, with most students coming from within the state.

Their annual tuition is $12,458, and 77% receive scholarships and grants averaging $12,961 per student.

What Is the Biggest School Near Tacoma, WA?

With more than 8,000 students, Pierce College has the largest number of students in the Tacoma area. Others that have 4000-6500 students include Green River College, Highline College, and UW-Tacoma.

How To Choose the Right College Near Tacoma, WA

To choose the right college to fit your needs, you should consider:

• Whether it has the academic program you seek
• The size of the school as it compares to your preferences
• Whether it is located on an urban or a traditional green campus
• Whether it is residential

Also, keep in mind:

• The faculty-student ratio: the more faculty, the more personal attention you are likely to receive
• The cost of tuition as offset by the average financial aid award
• The school's retention and graduation rates, which can give you an indication of student satisfaction as well as the quality of advising and mentoring
• The ratio of full-time faculty to part-time (often called contingent or adjunct) faculty: the strongest universities generally have predominantly full-time faculty

Paying for Your Degree Near Tacoma, WA

As you can see from the above figures, each university's 'sticker price' is offset by the average amount of financial aid that students receive. This should give you an idea of how much you can expect to pay.

Be sure to work closely with a financial aid officer and submit your FAFSA application by the deadline to ensure that you receive all the aid for which you might be eligible.

Start Your Degree Near Tacoma, WA, Today

If you're seeking a university or college near Tacoma, WA, now is the very best time to reach out to find answers to all your questions before you apply.