City University of Seattle is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Seattle, Washington. It enrolls 1,137 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
AccreditorNorthwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Academic CalendarQuarter
How It Measures Up
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Average
32/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes2
Value—
Affordability6
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
City University of Seattle does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. City University of Seattle has not reported one, so ask the financial aid office for a written estimate before comparing it against anywhere else.
Average Net Price
—
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
11%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
12%
Borrowing to attend
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,37510%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$25,000Medianpercentile
$24,66675%percentile
$35,29890%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $16,875
↓ $8,125
No Pell $12,500
↓ $12,500
Dependent students $8,375
↓ $16,625
Independent students $15,500
↓ $9,500
Female students $16,514
↓ $8,486
Male students $12,500
↓ $12,500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $10,500, less than completers ($25,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
35% of students who start here finish within six years, and 0% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
35%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
0%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $69,460 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$69,460
Earning > $25K
84%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$47,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$67,600
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$42,400
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$55,900
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$64,000
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $20,600, about 30% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
18.6 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 80% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,137 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 41% are the first in their family to go to college, and 89% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.
Total Enrolled
1,137
Part-Time
89%
First-Generation
41%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 60.6%689
White 16.2%184
Black 8.1%92
Asian 5.6%64
International 3.4%39
Other 3.1%35
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at City University of Seattle. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
City University of Seattle offers
a varied set of programs:
37 distinct programs across
9 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 9 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.
Student : Faculty
9:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$19M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$70,284
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
27 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
No Rank
27
100%
$70,284
Pros & Cons of City University of Seattle
No college is right for everyone. Here is where City University of Seattle is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, City University of Seattle is a fit for
working adults or students needing part-time study options; students prioritizing post-graduation earnings; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about City University of Seattle
The questions families ask most about City University of Seattle, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
What is City University of Seattle known for?
Mostly Business Administration, Curriculum & Instruction, Business Administration. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do City University of Seattle graduates earn?
About $69,460 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is City University of Seattle accredited?
Yes. City University of Seattle is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
How many students attend City University of Seattle?
1,137 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at City University of Seattle?
35% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is City University of Seattle a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is City University of Seattle located?
City University of Seattle is located in Seattle, Washington.
What programs does City University of Seattle offer?
37 different programs, most commonly Business Administration, Curriculum & Instruction, Business Administration. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at City University of Seattle?
9 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Washington
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